<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>It Takes Two by AcathlaSolace</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23480914">It Takes Two</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcathlaSolace/pseuds/AcathlaSolace'>AcathlaSolace</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Castle (TV 2009), In Plain Sight (US TV), Law &amp; Order: SVU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossover Pairings, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:01:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>87,694</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23480914</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcathlaSolace/pseuds/AcathlaSolace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate takes a vacation and meets someone who changes her life forever...but can love last when it's built upon a lie? Crossover with SVU. Spoilers for Season 2 of Castle and possibly Season 10 of SVU. Co-written with Diamond Crush initially for the Epic Proportions challenge</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kate Beckett/Alexandra Cabot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. First Contact</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>October 2008:</p><p>It was a beautiful day in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Kate Beckett had woken up in an excellent mood. She was on vacation here for two weeks, and although she was there by herself, she was determined to enjoy her time away. She had arrived yesterday afternoon, so this was her first full day here, and she intended to make the most of it.</p><p>At about 11 o'clock, Kate ventured out, map in hand, to find the place that she had come here to see. A few weeks ago, her best friend Lanie was cruising the local rental store, and by accident, she discovered a film that was based on an oddity here in Santa Fe. The Staircase told the story of the famous winding staircase in the Loretto Chapel. The reason it was so remarkable was that a mysterious carpenter had crafted the miraculous staircase in the late 1800s without using a single nail to hold it up.</p><p>Kate was naturally fascinated by the story, and she decided to come here and see it for herself. Although she would've loved to bring Lanie with her, her best friend didn't have any vacation time left over after her trip to Cancun. Lanie promised Kate that someday they'd both take a trip to Santa Fe, and since she'd already been there, Kate could show her around.</p><p>According to her map, the Loretto Chapel was located in the small area known as Downtown Santa Fe, so she looked at each of the street signs she passed to determine her location. She quickly found herself on Water Street, and she knew that she was close. As she went east, she took the time to look at all the shops that lined the tiny street, and she was genuinely charmed by everything she saw. She was so wrapped up in the local culture that she reached the corner of Water St. and Old Santa Fe Trail. She turned her head to the right, and just across the street there it stood, the glorious little Chapel.</p><p>She approached the Chapel and smiled when she saw how beautiful it was from the outside. She stopped on the sidewalk that led up to the chapel steps and took out her digital camera to take a few pictures of the chapel's façade and then made the short journey up the walk to go inside. She was just about to step through the doors when something stopped her. For some reason, Kate had the weird feeling that someone was watching her, so she took a quick look around. Kate scanned the area casually so she wouldn't attract attention, but when she didn't see anyone, she shook it off and walked into the Chapel.</p><p>Across the street at a small gallery, a leggy blonde named Victoria Harrison was sitting on a bench, having her lunch when she spotted a beautiful woman across the street standing outside the Chapel. She'd watched the brunette with fascination as she snapped pictures of the building, and although Vicky couldn't put her finger on it, she knew that there was something about that woman that she was attracted to. Maybe it was the swagger of her hip or her impeccable style, but whatever it was, it brought a smile to Vicky's face as she ate her salad.</p><p>Meanwhile, inside, Kate walked around the Chapel, taking pictures of the interior's intricate architecture and classic styling. The woodwork was beautiful, and the staircase was breathtaking. Kate stood behind the velvet ropes that protected the winding staircase and took pictures from several angles. She knew that Lanie would want to see for herself via a photo that the staircase was indeed built without nails.</p><p>Once she walked through the whole Chapel, Kate left through the gift shop and found herself on the sidewalk once again. She smiled when she felt the warm October sunshine on her face, and it once again hit her that she was somewhere new. Things here weren't like they were back in New York City. They were slower, much more relaxed, and she let that sink in. She could spend the entire afternoon walking around without worrying about going to this place or that place, and she felt free. That was until her stomach growled, and she realized that it was time for lunch.</p><p>Kate took out her cell phone and typed "restaurants" into the map search. A small arrow popped up for a little cafe that was just across the plaza, and she sighed happily because it was only about two blocks away. She started back the way she'd come and crossed the street since the café was on the south side of Water Street.<br/>
As she was about to round the corner, she happened to walk past a large window with several small sculptures on display. Despite her growing hunger, she paused for a moment to admire each of the unique pieces, but there was one in particular that caught her eye. It was a bronze statue of two women, their arms around each other, and an infant cradled between them. She'd never seen anything so beautiful before, and though she was considering going inside to get a better look, another growl from her stomach convinced her that food was more important.</p><p>Kate forced herself to keep walking, and a few minutes later, she walked into the café. The hostess told her that she could take a seat anywhere she wanted, so she found an empty stool at the counter and sat down.</p><p>The waitress, a redhead with too much makeup, handed her a menu, and smiled, "Take your time, honey."</p><p>The redhead walked away to serve coffee while Kate studied the menu. She settled on a burger and fries with a chocolate milkshake. Kate had decided that since she was on vacation, she wasn't going to count calories...she'd deal with the fallout from that when she got home to her gym.</p><p>The waitress was the chatty type, though, so whenever there was a moment when no one needed coffee or service, she was standing in front of Kate, chatting. Kate was polite but wasn’t sure how to tell the woman to leave her alone, so she talked to her.</p><p>"So you're from New York, huh? I've never been there, but I really want to go some time. I mean, the Empire State Building, Yankee Stadium, the Statue of Liberty…" she said wistfully.</p><p>Kate smiled, "Yeah, it's a great place. Lived there my whole life."</p><p>"Really? That's amazing. I've never met a born and raised New Yorker. We get people in here from New York sometimes, but never anyone like you," she said with a grin. There was something about the way she looked at Kate like she was a very delicious piece of cherry pie.</p><p>Kate squirmed a little under the gaze of this woman. She was used to being looked at like she was there to be taken, but she was never comfortable with it. She shifted her eyes then asked, "Well, um, are there any good clubs around here? Somewhere to dance and have a good time, but not a meat market kind of place, you know? Just like a piano bar or something?" Kate was reluctant to ask if this waitress knew of any lesbian nightclubs, not knowing how such a question would be received.</p><p>"As a matter of fact, I do…and trust me, there's very little chance you'll get hit on by drooling guys. It's right near here on the corner of Grant and Water St. It's called Rouge Cat. I like to go there sometimes on my nights off, and the vibe is awesome. Great music, better drinks, and I know the doorman… you tell him Quinn sent you and he'll let you in, no hassles..."</p><p>Kate smiled, "Thanks, Quinn. I'll check it out later tonight." Kate finished her lunch and paid her tab, then said goodbye to Quinn and left the café. She took a random left and walked around the plaza for a little while longer before she decided to head back to her hotel and change for her night on the town.</p><p>Before she left, she wanted to return to the little art gallery to take one more look at the sculpture that had caught her attention. She was so excited to take a closer look at the statue, but when she got to the entrance, there was a note on the door that said the gallery was closed early for delivery and would open the next day at their usual time. Kate sighed but was content to look at the piece through the window once again.</p><p>As she gazed through the glass, she pictured the statue sitting on her mantle at home. Kate could see herself as one of those women one day, though the other woman remained faceless. Kate lightly placed her fingertips to the glass and smiled wistfully before she slowly turned away and headed back to her hotel.</p><p>________________________________________</p><p>Vicky was standing behind the counter at the gallery when she saw the same woman from earlier standing outside the window. Vicki noticed that the woman was looking at the statue of the two women with the baby, the one that Vicky loved herself and was planning to buy with her next paycheck. It had just come in two days ago, and she'd talked her boss into holding it for her until the end of the week. It made her think back to her old life and how close she had been to having the family she'd always wanted.</p><p>Before she was put into Witness Protection, Vicky was known as Alexandra Cabot, an Assistant District Attorney for the Manhattan DA's office. She'd had a relationship with Olivia Benson, one of the detectives she worked with while she was assigned to the Special Victims Unit. Alex had always imagined that she and Olivia would get married and have a family; however, Olivia wasn't ready to be out of the closet, and Alex wasn't willing to start a family with someone who couldn't be honest about who they are.</p><p>She stayed with Olivia until the night that she was shot, and honestly, she still loved her. Yet, when she returned to New York to testify against Liam Connors, the man who'd pulled the trigger, she found out that Olivia had gone back to dating men, and Alex was relieved that she never brought up the whole family thing with her. She'd never given up the dream of meeting a woman who could be honest about her sexuality and starting a family with her, but for now, the only concrete reminder she had was going to be that statue.</p><p>________________________________________</p><p>Later that day, Kate was in her hotel room, getting changed to go out. She settled on a red halter top with black jeans and 3-inch ankle boots. Kate wanted to look good, but she wasn't looking to meet anyone. Kate wasn't the type to have a fling just because she was on vacation, but she was interested in going out, having a drink, and just relaxing for the evening.</p><p>Kate left the hotel around 9pm and asked the hotel's doorman to call her a cab because she had no intention of walking around in heels. After a short ride, Kate stepped out of the cab in front of the club. She was happy to see there wasn't a line at the door, however, there was a bouncer. She smiled at the mountain of a man and dropped Quinn's name. He nodded, knowing Quinn all too well, and let her in.</p><p>Kate walked right to the bar, settled on an empty barstool, and ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. The bartender made it a strong one and handed it to Kate. As she sipped, Kate turned to face the crowd, and after a quick scan, she realized that this was a lesbian bar. She grinned and took another drink when it dawned on her that Quinn must've known exactly what she was implying when she mentioned not wanting to go out to a "meat market." It was still early, so there weren't a lot of women in the club, but Kate figured it would fill up soon.</p><p>________________________________________</p><p>After a long day at work, Vicky decided that she wanted to go out for the evening. Vicki hadn't gone to a bar in what seemed like ages, and she needed a chance to relax, enjoy some music, and have a drink. She went home to get ready, taking a nice hot shower to shrug off all her cares. Wrapped in a towel, she picked out a little black dress that was low cut and fell about 4 inches above her knees. She had a perfect pair of black stilettos to go with it, and all she had to do was her make-up and hair. She flat ironed her long blonde locks and then did a gorgeous smoky eye and pale lip to complete the look.</p><p>She ventured back across town and arrived outside of her favorite club just before 10. It was starting to pick up, but she didn't have any trouble getting in the door, thanks to the fact that she knew the bouncer. She walked in, saw an empty stool at the bar, and admired the woman sitting next to it. She sat down and ordered a whiskey and coke and then smiled when she recognized the woman. She was the same one she'd seen admiring the statue in the window earlier that day.</p><p>Kate was getting into the groove of the music, it was a mix of 80's pop music and modern dance music, and she liked it. After a while, she noticed out of the corner of her eye, someone sitting next to her. Not knowing if the woman was alone or not, Kate decided to ignore her and wait to see if the other woman would make a move. The last thing she needed was to get into a catfight with some local woman over her territory.</p><p>Vicky got her drink and took a sip to wet her throat. She turned to the woman and gently tapped her on the shoulder, "I'm sorry, I know this is going to sound odd, but were you here in the plaza this afternoon?"</p><p>Kate turned to the woman who tapped her shoulder and was puzzled by the question, but she answered anyway, "Um...yeah I was, why?"</p><p>"I think I saw you earlier. You walked by the gallery where I work, and stopped to look at the artwork in the window?" Vicky said, though it came out as more of a question. She had been struck by this woman from afar, but right up close, she was practically taking Vicky's breath away.</p><p>Kate thought back to earlier that afternoon and the gallery window, "Oh yeah, there was a piece in the window that caught my eye. You work there?" Kate smiled as she remembered the statue.</p><p>"Yeah. I oversee large sales and coordinate showings. I've gotten to know several local artists, and they produce some very amazing work." She gazed into the other woman's chocolate brown eyes and nearly lost herself. When she realized that she'd been looking just a few moments too long, she shook herself back to reality and extended her hand, "I'm Vicky Harrison."</p><p>Kate smiled and took the blonde's hand. The woman was stunning, with an air of almost regal bearing...she reminded Kate of a younger Grace Kelly. "I'm Kate. Nice to meet you, Vicky." Kate felt a slight jolt when her hand touched Vicky's, and she tried to hide her reaction.</p><p>Vicky could feel her face getting hot, and she knew that this woman would notice the flush in her cheeks. She chuckled and replied, "Nice to meet you, Kate. Are you new to town?"</p><p>Kate picked up her drink for another sip and said, "Actually, I'm on vacation. I'm from New York." Kate paused and then asked, "What about you? Have you always lived in Santa Fe?" Kate was curious about this blonde beauty.</p><p>She was nearly knocked off her barstool when Kate mentioned that she was from New York, and that's when she realized that that's what it was about this woman that had caught Vicky's eye earlier that day. The confidence and style screamed New Yorker. She took a sip of her drink and remembered her cover story, "Um, n-no, not always. I'm actually new to the area. I actually grew up in Nebraska, and I spent some time in Northern California before I moved here."</p><p>Kate noticed Vicky's reaction to her question, but she shrugged it off. She was determined to put aside her "detective spidey sense" as Lanie called it and just have a good time. "Wow, I've never really lived anywhere but Manhattan, though I would love to see California one day. What made you decide to come to New Mexico from there?" Kate was curious to know why someone would move away from California when most people move to California.</p><p>"I moved for work. The gallery I was working for closed, so I put out some applications and got the job here. It's hard finding opportunities in the art business, especially as a gallery coordinator and buyer."</p><p>Kate nodded and smiled. "So do you like it here? I've only been here two days, but what little I've seen I like." Kate took another sip of her drink as she kept eye contact with Vicky. The blue of her eyes was mesmerizing, and she couldn't look away.</p><p>"It's beautiful. There's a lot of tradition and so many different cultures…It's amazing." 'But it's not home,' she thought. She missed New York, and no matter how beautiful New Mexico was, she'd always miss the big city.</p><p>Kate thought about that, and she admitted to herself that as pleasant as Santa Fe had been so far, she couldn't see herself living here. Kate smiled at Vicky, "Hey um, I'm not really very into the club scene much these days, so I was wondering if maybe you would want to go somewhere quieter?"</p><p>Vicky smiled, "Sure. I know a little coffeehouse just around the corner from here." She took one last sip and then set her glass down on the bar. She left $20 to cover both drinks and the tip and then stood, "Shall we?"</p><p>Kate thought about saying something about Vicky paying for the drinks but decided not to make a big deal of it. She'd just pay for the coffee later. She followed Vicky out of the club and decided to just walk after Vicky explained that she had parked close to the coffee shop.</p><p>As they rounded a corner, Kate said, "I like how even though it's nighttime, it's still nice out. Not too cold and not too warm either. Is it usually like this?"</p><p>"Um, yeah, it's usually like this. It only really gets bad during the winter. It can get pretty cold, though it's nothing compared to New York," she said with a chuckle.</p><p>Kate turned to look at Vicky then, "How um...how do you know what it's like in New York? Have you ever been there?"</p><p>Vicky could've kicked herself for the slip-up, "Um, yeah, I have, but I'll tell you more when we get inside." They were right outside the coffee shop, and she needed some time to come up with a reason why she knew about how cold New York winters could be.</p><p>"Oh, ok." Kate followed Vicky inside, and they walked up to the counter. She turned to Vicky, "So what do you recommend? It's my treat."</p><p>Vicky smiled, "Well, I usually get the white hot chocolate. It's really amazing."</p><p>Kate smiled, "That sounds really good. I think I'll have the same." Kate let Vicky order for them since she knew the place better.</p><p>Vicky walked up to the counter and said, "Hey, Megan."</p><p>The barista turned around from steaming milk and smiled, "Vicky, hey, I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. You look gorgeous."<br/>
Vicky blushed, "Thank you. Um, can I get two white hot chocolates, please?"</p><p>Megan noticed the woman with Vicky and nodded, "Yeah, sure. Whipped on both?" She looked Kate over and then returned her attention back to Vicky.</p><p>"Yes, please," Vicky replied and noticed that Megan seemed to be sizing Kate up. She knew that Megan had a bit of a crush on her, but she wasn't really Vicky's type.</p><p>Megan smiled warmly at Vicky, "Go ahead and have a seat. I'll bring it out to you."</p><p>Kate saw the way this Megan was looking at her and at Vicky, and she didn't like it, but she kept her mouth shut. She stepped forward and paid for their drinks then turned to Vicky, "So where should we sit?"</p><p>Vicky spotted a couch over in the corner and pointed, "How about there?"</p><p>Kate looked over and smiled, "Perfect." Kate began walking towards the couch, sensing that Vicky was walking behind her and liking what she saw.</p><p>Vicky sank down on the couch and crossed one leg delicately over the other. She leaned against the back and said, "So, I told you I'd give you the skinny on how I know about New York, right?"</p><p>Kate smiled, "Well...I wasn't going to push you but, I am a bit curious about how you know about New York." Kate lightly placed her hand on Vicky's knee.</p><p>Vicky suddenly felt like giggling when she felt Kate's hand on her knee, but she resisted the urge and cleared her throat, "Well, I have a cousin that I'm very close to, and she lives in Manhattan. I'd go visit her every year, sometimes in the spring or the summer, but several times in the winter. I don't think there's anything more beautiful than snow coming down in New York."</p><p>Kate nodded as she remembered the last snowfall. "Yes, it's beautiful coming down but, let me tell you it stops being pretty once the plows get to it." Kate smiled.<br/>
Vicky chucked, "That's very true, but I love walking through Central Park when the snow is still on the grass. It's like a winter wonderland…"</p><p>Kate smiled, "Yes, it's a great way to spend a winter afternoon."</p><p>"Maybe someday if I'm in the city, we could do that…walk through Central Park after it snows and then go to some little Italian place and have dinner and an amazing dessert," she said, not sure whether she was overstepping, but she knew for some reason that she'd want to do that with this woman.</p><p>Kate smiled, "I'd like that." The barista came by and placed their drinks on the small table in front of them with a smile.</p><p>"Here you go Vick, hope you like it." The smile was a little bit flirtatious, and Kate forced herself not to do something to "stake her claim" on Vicky...mostly because she didn't have any real claim on her.</p><p>"Thanks, Meg, they look great." She picked up the cup with more whipped cream on top, the one she was sure Megan had made especially for her and handed it over to Kate. "Here, I hope you like it."</p><p>Kate took the offered mug, noticing that it had more whipped cream, and she smiled. She might be reading more into the gesture than was there, but Kate preferred to believe that, even if 'Meg' was into Vicky, the feeling wasn't mutual.</p><p>Kate liked the thought of that, and she said, "Thanks, I'm sure I will." She took a careful sip, being careful not to burn her tongue. Kate closed her eyes as the smooth liquid slid down her throat...it was so good. A tiny moan escaped her throat before she could call it back. She looked at Vicky and blushed, a little embarrassed by the sound and knowing Vicky heard it. "It's delicious."</p><p>Vicky smiled to herself, God. That was really sexy. She felt a little tingle between her legs but tried to play it off, "I'm glad you like it." She picked up her own mug and licked a little whipped cream off the top.</p><p>Kate smiled when she saw Vicky's tongue sneak out to lick up some whipped cream. She felt her entire body grow warm. Kate knew her self-control was hanging by a tenuous thread. She thought about how she always backed away and deflected whenever someone flirted with her, and she realized that it usually stemmed from her fear of outing herself and risking her career. But here, she didn't have to worry about that, and Kate suddenly had the urge to break her habit and take Vicky up on whatever she might be offering.</p><p>"Mmm, this is good, better than usual. Then again, maybe it's the company that's making it even sweeter." She took a sip and sat back, re-crossing her legs gracefully, "I haven't done this in a long time..."</p><p>Kate smiled, "Done what? Had a decadent hot chocolate? Cause <em>Meg</em> seemed to know you really well." Kate tried and failed to keep the hint of jealousy she felt towards Meg out of her voice. She kicked herself for letting it seep into her voice. "Sorry, that was uncalled for."</p><p>"No, no, it's ok. Meg’s had a crush on me for a while, but I'm keeping it strictly friendship with her. Besides, she's not really my type anyway…" Vicky placed her hand on Kate's knee, "I tend to like my women a lot more like you..."</p><p>Kate's eyes dropped to the hand on her knee. She liked the sensations it caused. Kate smiled, "Really? And what is it about me that drew you in?" Kate asked, trying to sound flirtatious but probably failing. It was when she saw that Vicky was smiling that she figured she was doing ok.</p><p>"I don't know if it was a specific one thing, but I did find you very attractive when I first saw you, and then when I got to look into your eyes earlier, wow…and of course, I'm definitely drawn to your personality. You seem very confident but maybe a little guarded. You intrigue me."</p><p>Kate felt a blush steal across her face. She wasn't expecting such a thought out reply. Usually, people mentioned her looks or tried to play it off by saying something equally shallow. Vicky's answer hit all the right notes. "Well, I guess intriguing is better than boring.</p><p>"I'd say so. I don't tend to stick around boring people very often. I like to be around someone who can keep up an intelligent conversation and make me laugh. I could tell right off that you'd be able to offer that."</p><p>Kate took another sip of the hot chocolate. "Well, I hope I don't disappoint you. It would be a shame to ruin whatever this is before it really got started."</p><p>"I have faith," Vicky said with a smile and then took a big sip of her drink. She could feel her own butterflies fluttering at the idea that she had just taken such a significant step with someone she hardly knew, but she couldn't help herself. Kate was…she couldn't even put her finger on it, but she knew she was someone special.</p><p>Kate smiled then looked around the coffee shop taking in the decor. Her eyes landed on a wall clock, and she was surprised when she saw the time, it was already one am! "Wow, I didn't realize it was so late. It seems like we just met," Kate said, surprised at how fast the time had flown by. She couldn't remember the last time she'd stayed up so late talking to someone who wasn't Lanie or about something that wasn't case-related.</p><p>Vicky looked over to the clock, "You're right…They're going to be closing up here soon…" She finished off her cocoa and then said, "Look, I really don't want this to end. It doesn't have to be anything you don't want it to be, but I'd like to spend more time with you."</p><p>Kate smiled, "I'd like that too. I would definitely like to see you again. I'm only in town for two weeks, but I would love to spend as much of that time with you as you can spare. However, I think it would be too soon to spend the night together tonight. But maybe we could meet for lunch tomorrow? I could swing by your gallery and take you to lunch if you want?" Kate wasn't the type to 'put out' on the first date if this could be called that, but she definitely wanted to see Vicky again.</p><p>"I'd like that. I can go anytime, so you don't have to rush." She stood up and then offered a hand up to Kate. "I know all the restaurants around here, so we can go wherever you'd like."</p><p>Kate took Vicky's hand and stood up. She got as close as she could to the other woman and, sensing that Meg was watching them, she smiled and decided to give in to her urge to stake a claim just this once. She leaned forward to kiss Vicky, and at that moment, Kate knew that Vicky was going to be more to her than just a vacation fling.</p><p>When Vicky felt Kate's lips, it was like a flame ignited within her. She craved more, wanted to deepen the kiss, but she wasn't sure if Kate was willing or ready for that.<br/>
Kate pulled away for a moment and looked into Vicky's eyes to see if her kiss was welcomed. What she saw in those blue pools only excited her more, and she leaned in again for another kiss, this time letting her tongue slip out and lightly touch Vicky's lips. When those soft lips parted, Kate needed no further invitation to deepen the connection.</p><p>Vicky eagerly welcomed Kate's tongue into her mouth and caressed back as her arms wrapped around the brunette.</p><p>Before Kate could really lose herself in the kiss, she heard the sound of a throat being cleared, loudly. When they pulled apart, Kate saw Meg standing there.</p><p>"I'm sorry, ladies, but we're closing now," Meg said without a trace of apology in her voice. She didn't like seeing Vicky kissing another woman, but she knew Vicky didn't see her as anything more than a friend. Still, that didn't mean she couldn't interrupt them to close the shop.</p><p>Kate looked from Meg to Vicky, "I guess that means we should be going."</p><p>"Is it all right if I take you back to your hotel?" Vicky asked as she walked Kate out of the coffee shop.</p><p>"I'd like that," Kate said, smiling as she followed Vicky outside.</p><p>They walked back to Vicky's car, and the blonde opened the door for Kate. She knew precisely where Kate's hotel was and drove slowly down the narrow streets on the way to drop her off. "Tonight's been really amazing," she said with a smile.</p><p>Kate settled into the passenger seat and smiled, "Yes, it has. I had a great time with you."</p><p>"I'm glad you're here…I…I really needed to meet someone like you."</p><p>Kate liked the thought of that, "Well, I'm glad I met you too. I haven't had such a good time as I've had tonight in a really long time. I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow."</p><p>"Me too," Vicky replied as butterflies started up in her stomach again. She pulled up outside of the hotel entrance a few minutes later and sighed, "I hate to see you leave..."</p><p>Kate reached out and placed her hand on Vicky's cheek. She caressed the soft skin before leaning forward and placing a sweet kiss on her lips. "I'm not leaving. I'm just going up to my hotel room. I would invite you up, but...we've covered why that's not a good idea," Kate smiled.</p><p>"I know, and I think it's better that we don't. I don't want to make this about sex, Kate. I want to get to know you better, and when the time is right, it'll happen. But for now, you should go upstairs and get some sleep. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at work."</p><p>Kate nodded, "Tomorrow." Kate leaned in and kissed her again before she pulled away, "Goodnight, Vicky." Kate opened the car door and let one leg step outside.<br/>
Vicky felt something odd when Kate's leg went outside of the vehicle. She was sad. She didn't want to let her go.</p><p>Kate turned back to look at Vicky and saw something in her eyes. "Are you ok, Vicky?" Kate was worried she'd said or done something wrong.</p><p>"It's a …nothing. I'm fine, really," Vicky said, forcing a smile.</p><p>Kate could tell that wasn't true, so she slipped her leg back into the car and faced Vicky, "Doesn't seem like nothing...what is it?"</p><p>"No, you're going to think I'm absolutely insane if I say it out loud," Vicky said as she lowered her head.</p><p>Kate once again placed her hand on Vicky's cheek, gently drawing her face up to look into her eyes, "I promise I won't think you're insane. Trust me?" Kate needed to know what was wrong.</p><p>"Ok." She took a breath and then looked into Kate's eyes, "It made me sad when you started to leave…" She waited for Kate to jump out of the car at her confession. She knew she'd think she was crazy.</p><p>Kate took a moment to think about that, "Let me get this right, you were sad because I was starting to get out of the car?" Kate smiled, "That's...that's such a sweet thought. Vicky, I wasn't, I'm still not, eager to get out of this car and let this evening end but, we can't stay in the car all night...well we could, but it would be the same as if you came up to my hotel room. But hey, tomorrow will be here before you know it and we'll be having lunch together. That's something to look forward to, right?"</p><p>"Yes," she said in a mock pout. "Go on. I'll be ok, I just… it's weird that I feel like this about someone that I've just met. I don't think I know how to process it just yet. But like I said, I'll be ok. Go on upstairs and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."</p><p>Kate smiled. She liked knowing she wasn't the only one who didn't want the night to end. Kate leaned forward again for another kiss and let it linger for a moment before she pulled back, "Sweet dreams Vicky, I'll see you tomorrow at noon for lunch, ok?"</p><p>"Ok. Sweet dreams, Kate." She watched as Kate got out of the car and walked inside. Once she was gone from sight, she put the car in drive and made her way across town to her house. Vicky went inside and changed before slipping into bed, but she couldn't stop thinking about Kate. She was the last thing on her mind when she finally drifted off to sleep.</p><p>Kate, meanwhile, let herself into her hotel room and plopped down on her bed. On the one hand, she commended herself on her self-control to wait and see if this could be more than just about sex, but on the other hand, she was kicking herself for not taking Vicky up on her advances. Kate knew she wasn't a one-night stand person, but...right now, she kind of wished she was. Kate got ready for bed, and as she slipped between the sheets, she let herself look forward to her lunch date. Suddenly, a two-week vacation to visit Loretto Chapel had taken on a much better purpose. The last thing Kate did before she fell asleep was wonder if she was destined to meet Vicky. The events of the day seemed like the Gods had preordained them, which made Kate smile. She liked that thought and drifted off to sleep with a happy expression on her face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. First Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Kate woke up with a smile on her face. Her dreams had consisted of a stunning blonde, a can of whipped cream, and, oddly enough, handcuffs. Kate had to grin at her subconscious mind. It always went right to the gutter whenever she was attracted to someone. Kate lay in bed for a few moments, just remembering the night before. She hadn't exactly gone out looking for someone to possibly fall for, but that's precisely what she had found: a smart, funny, beautiful blonde with impossibly blue eyes and a smile that Kate would do almost anything to see more of.</p>
<p>Kate was about to drift off into another fantasy about Vicky when her cell phone buzzed an incoming text. With a frustrated growl, Kate rolled over and picked up her cell phone from the nightstand. Kate thumbed over the button for the text messages, and she smiled when she saw it was from Lanie. She opened the message and laughed at the text:</p>
<p>
  <em>[hey, girl! Get ur butt outta bed and go have some fun. Ur on vaca for heaven's sake! Don't 4get the pics]</em>
</p>
<p>Kate had promised Lanie lots of pictures from her trip. Kate decided it was time to get up. She quickly typed out a reply before she got up and headed into the bathroom to get ready for her day with Vicky:</p>
<p>
  <em>[ok, ok, I'm up. Keep ur scrubs on! U'll get ur pics. Gtg ttyl off to have some fun!]</em>
</p><hr/>
<p>Meanwhile, in a gallery in Downtown Santa Fe, Vicky was busy hanging up the newly arrived artwork in an empty room near the back. She was getting through it at her usual pace, but her mind wasn't on the task. That's why she was glad this didn't exactly require a lot of concentration. She was thinking about Kate and what their lunch date might lead to. She was really looking forward to seeing her again.</p>
<p>The night before had been torturous as thoughts of Kate, that tiny little moan at the coffee shop, and the sweet kisses goodnight kept swirling around her brain until she couldn't handle it anymore. She was desperate to do something about the warmth between her legs but opted to let it build up so that when she and Kate were finally together, all that tension would be released in what she knew would be the most pleasurable explosion ever. So instead, she got up and warmed some milk, which helped her drift off to sleep. Of course, her dreams only managed to torture her further with images of what she had been denied that night but would have sometime soon if she was lucky. Thankfully, a cold shower before heading to work made the situation bearable for her.</p><hr/>
<p>Kate left her hotel with a spring in her step. She was really looking forward to her lunch date with Vicky. Kate had some time, so she opted to walk the few blocks from her hotel to the downtown area where both the art gallery and the Chapel were located. It was another warm, sunny day, and Kate couldn't help but smile. She stopped at the corner to wait for the light to change and smiled when she looked up at the sky and noticed how blue it was. As Kate’s mind drifted to thoughts of kissing Vicky in the bright sunshine, it was the changing of the light that pulled her from her daydream. Kate couldn't remember the sky being that blue in New York, but then, back home, she was always too busy chasing bad guys to really notice anything else.</p>
<p>She came upon the Loretto Chapel first, and she stopped for a moment to just look at it. She'd come to Santa Fe to see this Chapel and its famous staircase, but now, she'd found another reason to love this town…and she was going to be seeing that reason in just a few minutes.</p>
<p>Kate turned away from the Chapel with a smile as she thought about Vicky. She started towards the art gallery when she suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. Kate was nervous about seeing Vicky again, worried that maybe the connection they'd had last night was an illusion, a trick of her overactive imagination and her extra-long dry spell. But Kate was not the type to back down from something she wanted, so she squared her shoulders and began walking towards the gallery.</p><hr/>
<p>Vicky was talking with a buyer, but her eyes were darting to the clock every now and then. She was hoping Kate would show up soon because she really couldn't stand the waiting anymore. Just as she was finishing up the paperwork for the purchase, she heard the door to the gallery open, and a smile spread across her face when she saw Kate walk into the building.</p>
<p>Kate stepped into the front room of the gallery, but when she saw that Vicky was busy, she occupied herself by walking around the room to look at the art. She deliberately avoided looking at Vicky, knowing if she did, she would do something to give away what she was thinking…namely that she was visualizing pushing Vicky up against the white wall and kissing her senseless. Kate smiled to herself as she indulged in her mini fantasy. She moved slowly from one piece of artwork to the next, putting on a relatively decent show of being interested in them.</p>
<p>She was so engrossed in her fantasy and pretending to be interested in the artwork that she didn't hear Vicky when she snuck up behind her. Vicky wrapped her arms around her. "Hey, you…miss me?" Vicky asked before she kissed her neck and smiled, happy to be near the object of her desire once again.</p>
<p>Kate jumped a tiny bit but managed to hide it well as Vicky pulled her from her daydream. Kate smiled when she felt two secure, slim arms wrap around her, and she leaned back for a moment to enjoy the embrace before she remembered where they were, and she quickly looked around the gallery to make sure they were alone. When Kate turned her head, she felt Vicky's lips on her exposed neck and melted a little more. Kate loved having her neck kissed and idly wondered how Vicky had known that. Kate mentally shrugged it off as she let herself get lost in Vicky's arms.</p>
<p>Kate placed her hands on Vicky's and closed her eyes, smiling as Vicky continued her sensual assault on her neck, "Mmm…you have no idea. That feels so good."</p>
<p>"This?" Vicky asked before kissing Kate's neck again. "Or this?" She pulled Kate a little closer, so close that Kate could probably feel Vicky's heart beating hard in her chest.</p>
<p>Kate couldn't stop the slight moan that escaped her lips, "All of it."</p>
<p>She enjoyed the embrace for a few more moments before she couldn't stand it anymore, and she quickly turned in Vicky's arms and spun the blonde around, so her back was against the wall, right next to a painting. She leaned forward, pressing her upper body close to Vicky's, and claimed the blonde's lips in a kiss that held every ounce of the longing she'd felt for Vicky the night before.</p>
<p>Vicky felt a rush of warmth spread all over her body when Kate touched her lips. She had to admit she was also a bit turned on by the aggressiveness of Kate's move, and it fed her own desire. She placed her arms on Kate's waist and couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips, which went straight into Kate's mouth. She wanted her so badly, but somehow, she managed to remember that they were in the gallery, and anything more that they wanted to do would have to wait until they were someplace private.</p>
<p>Kate ran her hands down Vicky's side, getting lost in their kisses when she felt Vicky moan, Kate almost lost it then. She had a sudden urge to strip the blonde naked and lose herself in the soft curves and the promise of ecstasy, but her libido lost the war with her common sense, and she pulled away from Vicky's lips. She rested her forehead against Vicky's as they both fought to catch their breath.</p>
<p>When she was sure she could talk, Kate finally spoke, "Vicky, as much as I want to keep going…we need to stop. Anyone could walk in here…and see us…" Her words came between still ragged breaths, and although she hated to stop their make-out session, she knew it was the right thing to do.</p>
<p>Vicky was reluctant to agree with her, but she did anyway, "That would be the logical thing to do… unfortunately, that part of my brain seems to have stopped working," she grinned. "Look, I know we said we wouldn't make this about sex, but I would love to have an extended make-out session later tonight…" Vicky said, letting her voice drift away as she waited to hear Kate's response to that. She held her breath, hoping the dark-haired woman would be interested.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, happy that she wasn't the only one affected by their proximity. She lowered her voice, adopting a flirty, suggestive tone as she said, "I think that can be arranged…but right now, we should get going and have some lunch. Somewhere public, ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and said, "Hopefully, that will help my self-control, though I'll be the first to admit that any control I do have will be hanging by a thread." She pecked Kate's lips one more time and then said with a grin, "I know just where I'm going to take you."</p>
<p>Kate's gutter mind gave that line a different meaning, and she felt as if someone else, someone bolder, had taken over her mouth because her first words were, "Keep it clean Vicky, I meant what I said: food first then later…you can take me wherever and however you want." Kate grinned at the look her words caused to appear on Vicky's face…she liked this bolder version of herself.</p>
<p>Vicky shook herself free of the images Kate's words conjured up, and she realized this might be a very long lunch. She grabbed Kate's hand and led her out of the gallery. They walked through the plaza and then turned down the street that led to the St. Francis Cathedral. At the corner, just across from the church, was the La Fonda Hotel, which was home to one of the best restaurants downtown. Vicky walked up to the hostess and requested a table for two.</p>
<p>The woman nodded and led the ladies down two steps into the dining area. It was filled with beautiful trees and flowers along the perimeter and a high stained glass ceiling that cast beautiful colored light on the tables below.</p>
<p>Kate sat down at the table and took a long look around. It was a lovely place, and she liked the décor. Kate returned her gaze back to Vicky after she'd checked out the entire room and said, "This is a very nice place. Do you come here often?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, "Sometimes, but usually just for special occasions. They have a great little candy shop downstairs that I tend to frequent a bit more often." She chuckled, "I thought that we should do something special for today."</p>
<p>Kate heard the word candy, and her eyes lit up. Her best friend Lanie had such a big sweet tooth, and Kate figured she would flip for some local candies. Kate made a mental note to stop by the shop and get something sweet for Lanie before they left. For right now, Kate smiled and, in a flirting tone, said, "Candy shop, huh? I could go for something…sweet after lunch." Kate's tone and eyes implied she wasn't necessarily talking about candy.</p>
<p>Though Vicky caught the double entendre, she opted to keep things clean and replied, "I'll take you over. They have a wonderful dark chocolate candy that's infused with chili powder. You'll absolutely fall for it."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that and said, "Chocolate and chili powder? That sounds…interesting. I can't wait." Kate held Vicky's gaze for a moment before she opened her menu.</p>
<p>The waitress came over then and took their drink order but gave them a bit more time to look over their menus. Vicky already knew she was going to have the blue enchiladas, but she was curious to know what Kate would pick. "Anything standing out to you?"</p>
<p>Kate looked over the menu. Everything looked good, but she decided to go with something familiar. "It all looks good, but I think I'm going to go with the <em>Enchiladas del Norte</em>," Kate said, thinking she couldn't really go wrong with enchiladas. She looked up at Vicky and smiled. She was really enjoying herself so far, and she was really looking forward to later that day when she could be alone with Vicky.</p>
<p>"I was thinking of ordering a bottle of white wine, would you like that?" Vicky asked.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Are you sure about that? I mean, I'm not the one who has to go back to work after lunch." Kate was concerned that Vicky might get in trouble with her boss if she went back to work intoxicated…not that Kate saw anyone else in that gallery that might qualify as a boss, but still. "I just don't want you to get in trouble with your boss."</p>
<p>"Well, I have a little surprise," Vicky said before taking a sip of her water. She licked her lips and continued, "I just sold $8,000 worth of art to a local businessman, so my boss decided to give me the rest of the day off as a reward!"</p>
<p>Kate took that in and couldn't help the smile on her face and the warm feeling in her belly at the thought of having the whole day with Vicky. "In that case, some wine would be nice."</p>
<p>"Great," Vicky said with a broad smile. When the waitress came back, she let Kate order first and then placed her order and asked for the best bottle of white wine they had on the menu. One thing she knew was wine, which mostly had to do with her breeding as a Cabot, though she knew she couldn't tell Kate that.</p>
<p>Kate watched as the waitress left and looked at Vicky, "Do, um, do you know wines?" Kate's blue-collar upbringing didn't lend itself to knowing about wines, but thanks to Lanie, she was learning. Kate smiled at Vicky, struggling not to think about what they would do with the rest of their day.</p>
<p>"Oh, yes, I…I've been wine tasting in Napa a couple of times, but I do most of my research online. I like knowing about things like that. I hope it doesn't make me come off like a snob or anything," she said, nervous that Kate was going to think she was stuck-up. She knew people often had that misconception about her, but the last thing she wanted was for Kate to feel that way.</p>
<p>Kate's eyes widened, and she suddenly felt envious of Vicky, "You've been to Napa? That's on my list of places to visit. I would love to go there one day. Oh, and don't worry, I like women who aren't afraid to learn new things."</p>
<p>Vicky smiled again, "I'd love to take you. I think you'd love it very much…we could even drive down the coast to San Francisco and take in all the sights…" Then she blushed, "Oh God, I just jumped the gun a little bit, didn't I? Planning a vacation-slash-road trip after one day..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled. Vicky was just too cute when she blushed. She reached out and placed her hand on Vicky's, "Yeah, maybe a little bit, but I like the thought of going to Napa with you. It sounds like we would have a great time."</p>
<p>"I'm glad you don't think I'm totally strange about the way I've been behaving. I just…got carried away thinking about how great it would be to do that with someone I think could appreciate it."</p>
<p>"Trust me, Vicky, it would take more than that to make me think anything negative about you. I really like you, and I like spending time with you. I just wish I had more than two weeks to be here with you." Kate stopped herself before she asked Vicky about maybe coming to visiting her in New York, sensing that it might be too early to make that suggestion.</p>
<p>"I know…I don't even want to think about you leaving, Kate…especially since there's so much we still have to learn about one another."</p>
<p>"I agree, but I think it'll be better if we forget about the time limit and just enjoy our time together, don't you?" Kate suggested, not wanting to think about having to leave this place and most especially, this wonderful woman.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and then noticed the waitress coming over with their wine. Another waitress followed her and set their meals down in front of them before disappearing back into the kitchen. Their waitress made short work of pouring the wine and said, "Enjoy, ladies," before leaving them to eat.</p>
<p>Once the waitress was gone, Kate lifted her wineglass in a toast and said, "To enjoying our time together."</p>
<p>Vicky raised her glass, "To enjoying our time together." She clinked her glass with Kate's and then took a drink. "Mmm, tastes wonderful." She set the glass down and then picked up her fork, "Yours looks really good."</p>
<p>Kate took a sip of her wine and found that it was surprisingly good. She studied her plate and picked up her fork, "Let's hope it tastes as good as it looks."</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and then took a bite of her enchilada. It was delicious as usual, and the company made it even better. She looked up at the woman sitting across from her and asked, "So, do you like it?"</p>
<p>Kate swallowed her food and smiled, "Yes, it's amazing, and the wine is absolutely perfect," Kate said and took another sip of her wine.</p>
<p>They finished off their meal in relative silence, enjoying their food too much to converse, and once they were finished, they left the restaurant. They made a quick stop by the candy shop that Vicky had told Kate about and then made their way out to the street.</p><hr/>
<p>Vicky held Kate's hand as they walked back through the Plaza, and the two were thoroughly enjoying their time with one another. Kate liked the freedom that came with being out of her comfort zone. In New York, she would never have had the courage to walk down the street, holding hands with another woman. Kate was always aware that anyone from the precinct could see her, and then she'd be treated differently at work. But here, so far away from her normal life, she could let go and just be herself.</p>
<p>As they made their way out of the plaza, Kate looked to her left and happened to glance into the window of a rare books store they were passing. There, in the display, was a book Kate had never seen, but she'd definitely heard of. It was one of the first books ever written by her favorite mystery writer, Richard Castle, and it had been out of print for several years. Only true fans knew of its existence, and only real collectors had it in their collection. Kate stopped in her tracks and turned to Vicky, "Hey, um...can we go in here for a minute?"</p>
<p>Vicky glanced over at the store and smiled as Kate began to unintentionally veer toward it. "Of course. See something in the window you liked?"</p>
<p>Kate blushed, "Um...yeah, I just saw a book that I've been looking for, for a few years. I'm...a bit of a bookworm." Kate waited for the laughter, the derision she had come to expect from people when she told them she liked to read books. Her whole life, people had teased and made fun of her for being such a brain, a bookworm, a wallflower. That teasing as she was growing up was what pushed her to pick modeling over waiting tables to pay for school, and was part of the reason she chose being a cop instead of becoming a lawyer or even a teacher.</p>
<p>"Me too. Who's your favorite author?" she asked as they walked into the store. Vicky couldn't believe that she'd met someone who shared one of her favorite pastimes. She loved spending a quiet evening at home, curled up on the couch with one of her favorite books.</p>
<p>Kate smiled a little more comfortable now, "Richard Castle. I like mystery books. What about you?" Kate was curious now, loving that she could talk about books with someone she liked.</p>
<p>"I'm probably going to sound very old fashioned, but Jane Austen. I'm also an Anne Rice fan, though no one really knows that," she said with a wink.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "I've read a few books by Austen, but I'm more drawn to crime novels. I don't know why. I'm not that into vampire books, though, not my thing. But I can respect that there's a market for it. But if you ever want a good mystery novel, Castle is the way to go." She liked converting people to Richard Castle because his work was definitely worth reading.</p>
<p>"I've heard of Richard Castle, but I've never read his work," Vicky replied. Unbeknownst to the brunette, Vicky had more experience with killers than she'd like to admit, and although she was sure the books were good, she had avoided them because they were crime mysteries.</p>
<p>"Well, I've read all of his novels, and I can tell you right now that he really does a great job of getting into the mind of the killer. His Derek Storm series is just...beyond words, and I really hope he keeps going with Storm for a long time," she said and then stopped, realizing she probably sounded like a fangirl with all her gushing. "Um...anyway, I saw one of his early works in the window and wanted to look at it if that's ok?"</p>
<p>"Sure," Vicky said as she followed Kate over to the window where she'd seen the book.</p>
<p>"I think it's this way." She began to walk towards the section excitedly. It was true that she chased killers for a living, and given that, one might wonder why she would choose to read about them in her free time, but the thing was, she liked happy endings. Sometimes with some cases, there were no winners. Even if she caught the bad guy, there was no guarantee that justice would be done or that a plea deal wouldn't be made, letting the killer back on the streets sooner than she'd like. So she read crime mysteries because, in print at least, the killer was always caught, justice was always doled out, and there were no plea deals or technicalities or appeals to give the killers a second chance. She liked that and wished real life could be more like fiction. Kate took a moment to look around, seeing if there were signs that marked the different genres. She found the one that said "Mysteries," and she smiled.</p>
<p>Vicky watched as Kate's eyes lit up when she found the book and stood nearby as the brunette looked over the cover and the pages, inspecting them for damage.</p>
<p>Kate held the book carefully in her hands. She knew she probably looked silly, treating this book like it was an original Gutenberg bible or something equally old, but she couldn't help it. To a true fan like her, this was like finding the Holy Grail.</p>
<p><em>Between Heaven and Hell </em>was Richard Castle's very first novel, and according to online websites that Kate sometimes cruised, there were about 100,000 copies in existence. It seems that when the manuscript got picked up to be published, the publishing company didn't have much faith in Castle's success, and they limited the run to such a small number. It wasn't until his second novel made the bestseller list that Castle skyrocketed to fame, and his new die-hard fans started snapping up copies of his first book to ensure that their collections would be complete. Since Kate discovered Castle much later, her odds of finding an excellent copy of <em>Between Heaven and Hell </em>that didn't cost an arm and a leg were slim. That's why this was such a miraculous find.</p>
<p>Even though there were a few dog-eared pages and the paperback cover showed some wear, the rest of the cover looked smooth, the binding was tight, and the pages showed no signs of yellowing. Kate literally had to hold back a giggle over her unbelievable luck. She knew she was getting far too excited over finding this book, but she just couldn't help herself.</p>
<p>The book she'd seen in the window was Castle's second novel, which she had a copy of. She'd come into the store hoping against hope that maybe they had more Castle books. Kate felt that finding this one was undoubtedly a good omen. She turned to Vicky, who was watching her patiently with a tiny grin on her face. "Um, sorry, I tend to get a little engrossed when I get my hands on a book this rare. This is Castle's very first novel. It was largely forgotten because his second book, the one in the window, really launched his career. But this one...this one is what started it all." Kate paused, "I hope you don't think I'm some obsessed fan or anything."</p>
<p>"Everyone has something that they're genuinely passionate about, and I'm glad I could be here to share this with you. I like seeing you smile like that. It makes me happy. "</p>
<p>Kate blushed again and looked down, "Well, thank you for not...thinking I'm crazy or anything. Come on, I want to get the book in the window too, it's a good one and a first edition." Kate led Vicky back to the window display and took the book. They started to go towards the cashier, but Kate stopped, "I'm sorry I'm being so...single-minded. Was there something you wanted to look for here?"</p>
<p>"No, no, I'm fine. I can come here anytime. This moment is for you, honey. I want you to enjoy your finds," Vicky said with a genuine smile. She liked seeing Kate so excited, and she was happy to know that it happened while she was here in Santa Fe.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, she liked hearing Vicky call her honey. It made her insides warm. "In that case, let me pay for these, and we can get back to our day together." Kate wanted to get Vicky alone, somewhere private, but, oddly enough, she also wanted to feel the sunshine on her face while she kissed Vicky. Kate liked the thought of kissing Vicky in broad daylight, though not in full public view. It was a daydream she'd had when they were walking from the gallery to the bookstore.</p>
<p>"Sounds good," she said and watched as Kate paid for the books. She wanted to take her back to her place where they could be alone and get to know each other better. She had a spacious porch where they could have a drink while cuddling on her patio sofa.</p>
<p>Kate paid for the books, not letting the higher price affect her joy at finding the rare books. She turned to Vicky and said, "All set, let's go."</p>
<p>"You know, I had a thought if you're up to it... I was wondering if you'd like to come over? I have a nice deck where we can enjoy the air and get to know each other...and perhaps pick up where we left off at the gallery."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that as they left the bookstore. It sounded like a great idea. She smiled, "Lead the way."</p>
<p>They walked back to the gallery where Vicky's car was parked, and again she helped Kate into the passenger side.</p>
<p>She pulled out of the lot and started across town to her house, pointing out areas of interest to Kate as they went. When they arrived at Vicky's house, she parked in the garage and welcomed Kate to her humble abode. It was two stories with three bedrooms and two baths, a spacious kitchen, and open living room.</p>
<p>She smiled, "Make yourself comfortable. I'm going to make some coffee."</p>
<p>Kate looked around the beautifully decorated living room and was impressed. She watched as Vicky walked into the kitchen and she smiled, the day was turning into one of the best she'd had in a long time. If someone had told her last week that she would meet someone on this trip, someone that she would end up falling for and wishing she didn't have to leave, she would've told them they were crazy. But here she was, with Vicky, and a part of her wished she didn't have to leave...or that she could bring Vicky back to New York with her.</p>
<p>Kate walked over to the windows and looked out onto a back yard filled with dark green grass that looked well cared for and, idly, Kate wondered how Vicky managed that in such a dry climate. That thought soon vanished when she saw the deck. It was natural wood and very big, and Kate saw a comfy looking loveseat against the left railing. It was right in a patch of sunshine, and Kate felt herself grow warm as she pictured herself and Vicky on that couch, making out. Kate had to close her eyes to block out the images...only to have them explode to life behind her eyelids. Kate groaned lightly, hoping she could control herself around the blonde, not wanting to jump her right away and make this all about sex.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Relaxing At Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vicky poured coffee into two matching brown mugs and carried one over to Kate, who was looking out the window. "Do you want to go sit out there? "</p>
<p>Kate turned to Vicky and smiled as she took the coffee mug. "Would you mind? It's just...it's a nice day, and I thought it would be fun to sit outside," Kate said, not ready to reveal her little mini fantasy of kissing Vicky in the sunshine.</p>
<p>"Of course." She took Kate's hand and led her outside. "Front or back?" she asked with a grin.</p>
<p>Kate pondered what Vicky meant by that, but in the end, she played it safe and said, pointing to the loveseat, "Can we sit there?"</p>
<p>Vicky laughed, "No, I want to hold you, but only if you prefer that. If you like to be in the back, I would be more than happy to be held."</p>
<p>Kate blushed, she hadn't thought of that... "Oh...um...back then...I like the thought of holding you...if that's ok? We can switch positions later."</p>
<p>"Sounds perfect. I'll follow you," Vicky said in encouragement to Kate. She'd be sure to bring up the front/back question again later in a different context.</p>
<p>Kate opened the glass door that led to the deck and made her way to the small wicker loveseat that had overstuffed cushions on it. She carefully settled herself on one end of the couch, taking off her slip-on shoes and placing her coffee on the deck floor out of the way. She leaned her back against the arm and lifted one leg to rest against the back of the couch while the other stayed planted on the deck floor. Kate smiled up at Vicky then and patted the empty space in front of her in invitation. "Join me?" Kate smiled.</p>
<p>Vicky smiled and practically glided over. She held her coffee carefully as she settled in and leaned back against Kate. The other woman was so warm, and Vicky loved that. She was typically cold, so it was a nice change to feel warm again.</p>
<p>Kate let Vicky settle down in front of her on the small couch before she slowly wrapped her arms around her waist. Kate smiled. She loved the way Vicky felt against her. It wasn't often that she got to have moments like this where she could just relax and hold someone she was attracted to. Kate bent her head and nuzzled Vicky's neck. She let the silence stretch out for a few moments before she whispered, close to the blonde's ear, "This is nice, thank you."</p>
<p>"You don't have to thank me for this, Kate. I wanted to have a special day with you, and so far, I think it's going very well," she said with a smile and a soft sigh. She liked the feel of Kate nuzzling her neck.</p>
<p>Kate smiled against Vicky's neck and then let her tongue slip out to lightly lick the skin just above Vicky's pulse point. She felt Vicky shiver, and she tightened her grip. Kate lightly ran her tongue up Vicky's neck to her earlobe and nibbled on it. She heard the hitch in the blonde's breathing and decided she liked the effect she was having on the beautiful woman in her arms. "So far? Hmmm...any ideas for how to keep it going?"</p>
<p>"Um," she took a steadying breath. "I think you should keep doing what you're doing and we'll see how it goes…I'm guessing things are going to go from good to great."</p>
<p>Kate nibbled again on Vicky's ear. She slid her hands a little higher, stopping just under the other woman's breasts. Kate was in the mood to tease Vicky a little, just to see how close she could bring the blonde to the edge before she reached her limit. "Mmmm, you taste so good," Kate whispered, allowing a low moan to escape her lips as she began feasting on the neck that was on display for her.</p>
<p>Vicky chuckled. It came from somewhere deep inside, and she closed her eyes, "You have no idea, Kate…just wait…" She placed her hands on Kate's thighs and squeezed softly, showing the other woman just how much she appreciated her attention on her neck and abdomen.</p>
<p>Kate enjoyed the rumble that came from Vicky when she laughed. It vibrated through her, and she smiled. "I have no doubt you have even tastier...flavors. I can't wait to find out for myself," Kate said and then inhaled sharply when she felt Vicky's hands gripping her thighs.</p>
<p>"And I'm sure you do too…I hope you don't think it too forward of me if I tell you that I had the most beautiful dream about you and what you taste like…suffice it to say that I didn't want to get out of bed this morning."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, lifting her head slightly but still close enough that Vicky could feel her breath on her neck. "Is that so? Well, dreams can come true...if you're a good girl." Kate slipped her tongue against Vicky's neck, tracing the jugular vein in the process.</p>
<p>"I can be very good…" she said in a whisper as her hands trailed up and down Kate's legs. She wanted to turn around and kiss Kate with everything she had, but she didn't want to give up the incredible attention that Kate was lavishing upon her. How long she'd be able to resist, though, wasn't clear to her.</p>
<p>Kate tightened her grip on Vicky as she felt her run her hands over her legs. Kate pulled Vicky closer, suddenly feeling like she was too far away. Kate idly wondered how she was going to survive the loneliness when she went back to New York and didn't have Vicky with her to hold like this, but she quickly put that thought out of her head and went back to kissing Vicky's neck. "Good has its benefits, but...being naughty can be just as satisfying." Kate let one hand drift higher and cup Vicky's breast.</p>
<p>Vicky let out a moan and gently set her head back against Kate's shoulder. "God…" was all she said. It had been so long since anyone had touched her this intimately. Kate's gentleness and curiosity was insanely arousing to her. She wanted to give herself over to the brunette and let her do anything and everything she wanted.</p>
<p>At the sound of Vicky's moan, Kate almost lost the control she was barely hanging on to, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to hang on. It would be so much sweeter if she waited a little bit longer. She wanted to build up the anticipation...draw out the foreplay and make their first time together unforgettable.</p>
<p>Kate had a sudden urge to wipe every past lover from Vicky's memory forever. Kate felt her possessiveness seep into her thoughts, and she fought against them, knowing the line that separated healthy possessiveness from unhealthy obsession a little too well. Thankfully, she'd never crossed the line, but she had come close enough to see it. Kate smiled as she said, "God is a little formal, Kate will do fine, baby."</p>
<p>Vicky laughed a husky laugh and turned her head ever so slightly to whisper into Kate's ear, "Smartass." Then she blew a stream of cool air against Kate's ear and again caressed the other woman's legs. She wanted to do more, but she wasn't sure if Kate was ready to take this indoors. If they went inside, things might progress to more than just foreplay, and Kate was very clear about not making it about sex. She took a breath, but when the buildup got to be too much, she decided to take a chance, "I want to have my turn…but not out here…"</p>
<p>Kate chuckled at the smartass comment. She took a breath when Vicky suggested going inside. Kate tightened her grip on Vicky, "Then let's take this somewhere less...exposed and see if I can make you scream."</p>
<p>Vicky grinned, "I'm figuring the odds are going to be very good on that." She got up and took Kate's hand to lead her back into the house and led her upstairs to the master bedroom. The bed was made with a soft comforter cloaking a pair of burgundy silk sheets underneath. Vicky figured it was a solid bet that Kate was going to come over sometime before she left, so she'd put the finest linens on the bed and set a fresh bouquet of flowers on her vanity, the scent of which was thick in the air.</p>
<p>As she followed Vicky through the house, Kate thought about how out of character was what she was doing. This could technically be considered their second date if you counted their time at the coffee shop last night, and they were already heading to bed. It was a lot faster than Kate had ever moved in her past relationships, but something about this just felt right, felt natural, and Kate wasn't going to question it. She looked around the room and smiled as she saw how nice it looked. Kate had a feeling she was going to be spending a lot of time in this room while she was in town. "This is a very nice bedroom."</p>
<p>"Thanks…I…" Vicky blushed, "I wanted to have everything look perfect in case you came over. It means a lot that you like it." She took her by both hands and gently pulled her closer, "I want us to take our time, is that ok? I want to explore your body and find out what you like and what really turns you on..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she leaned closer to her soon to be lover, "Slow is good...slow can be delicious, especially for the first time." She moved closer and kissed Vicky.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Their First Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kate and Vicky's first time. Warning for explicit content.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vicky wrapped her arms around Kate, her fingers gently tickling the small of her back. She was going to be as gentle or firm as Kate needed, and she'd rely on the brunette to let her know what was working and what wasn't. Vicky just wanted it to be as good as possible for Kate. She wanted to show her everything she was feeling inside.</p><p>Kate let herself get lost in Vicky's kiss as she wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck. Kate's fingers slipped into Vicky's hair, and her nails lightly scratched the scalp. Kate felt Vicky's fingers on her back, and she moaned a little at the sensation. After a few moments of kissing, Kate pulled away and began trailing her lips down Vicky's neck, licking and sucking her way down to the blonde's collarbone.</p><p>Vicky leaned her head back, her hair draping down over Kate's hands as they rested on her back. She smiled and sighed happily, loving the way Kate's lips felt on her skin. They were so soft, like rose petals.</p><p>Kate loved how responsive Vicky was, and she ran her hands down the blonde's back to her ass. Kate squeezed gently as she began sucking on Vicky's neck. Her movement pulled Vicky closer, and Kate could feel her heart beating against her skin. She loved that feeling, and she grinned against Vicky's skin.</p><p>Vicky looked down at Kate, and suddenly it was hard to breathe. She was getting more turned on, and once the brunette grabbed her ass, she thought her knees were going to buckle. She gently caressed Kate's hair and said in a breathy voice, "honey, I need to lie down..."</p><p>Kate pulled away from the deliciously smooth neck she was lavishing attention on and smiled up at Vicky, "A little unsteady there, babe? Come on. I don't want you to fall before I can have my way with you."</p><p>Kate reached around and grabbed Vicky's hands to pull her closer to the bed. Before she let the blonde sit down, Kate grinned, "But first, this has got to go." Kate quickly removed Vicky's white blouse and bra before running her fingers over the blonde's abs, caressing the smooth skin before she reached up and cupped her breasts.</p><p>Kate lowered her head and took one of Vicky's breasts in her mouth. She sucked on the nipple for a few moments before she gently maneuvered Vicky to lie down on the bed. Kate straddled the blonde and smiled down at her as she returned her attention to the blonde's perfect breasts.</p><p>Vicky was quivering beneath Kate, the warmth on her breasts causing her to moan. She liked having the other woman's weight on her. It made her feel safe, which was something Vicky hadn't felt in a long time. She tugged Kate's button-down up as much as she could and lightly scratched her manicured nails up and down tan skin. She could feel Kate shiver, and it made her grin devilishly. She wanted to make her lover feel as aroused as she did.</p><p>Kate loved the feeling of Vicky's hands on her skin. It was seriously turning her on. She indulged in it for a few moments before she couldn't stand it any longer, and she leaned up, smiling down at Vicky as she removed her own dark purple satin blouse and black lace bra. She loved the spark of arousal that flared in Vicky's eyes as she disrobed, and she bounced a little bit before she slowly leaned down again and kissed Vicky's lips, slipping her tongue inside the warm mouth. Kate's hands lightly ran down Vicky's chest and played with her nipples as they kissed.</p><p>Vicky sucked on Kate's tongue and tightened her ab muscles, bucking up a little to tease Kate's pussy. She ran her hands down to Kate's ass and pushed her down, encouraging her to grind against her.</p><p>Kate ground against Vicky, feeling herself growing wet and aroused, and she suddenly couldn't stand the thought of having anything between them. She broke the kiss and leaned back, resting on her knees above the blonde. She ran her hands to the button on Vicky's jeans, unbuttoned it quickly, and lowered the zipper. She smiled down at Vicky, "These have got to go, baby. I need to feel all of you."</p><p>Kate quickly removed not only Vicky's jeans and panties but also her own. Before long, Kate lowered her naked body onto the blonde beneath her. She sighed as their skin made contact. Kate looked into Vicky's blue eyes, "You have the softest skin and a great body. I am going to enjoy exploring it and finding out what makes you scream."</p><p>Vicky's eyes somehow grew darker from not only Kate's words but also the splendor of her body. She was so beautiful, and Vicky just had to run her hands over every curve, from her perfect breasts to her hips to the swell of her ass.</p><p>She started from Kate's shoulders, fanning her fingers as she moved down over her breasts, stopping to tease her nipples before continuing her descent downward. She could see the glistening of arousal coming from between Kate's legs, and she licked her lips; she wanted to have a taste.</p><p>Kate lost her concentration for a moment when Vicky's hands began exploring her body. She loved the feel of those soft, knowing hands on her skin. Kate started kissing her way down Vicky's body, overcome with the urge to taste the skin that was on display.</p><p>Kate felt the wetness on her thigh, and the idea that she was the cause drove her on. She licked and sucked her way down Vicky's body, pausing only to pay some extra attention to her breasts, her navel, and the silky skin of her thighs before she looked up at Vicky. Kate smiled at her before she slipped her tongue out and got her first real taste of the blonde. Kate moaned at the flavor and pulled Vicky's clit into her mouth to suck on it.</p><p>Vicky groaned and then growled when she felt the pressure on her clit. Her hips bucked, and she gripped the blanket, her knuckles turning white as she felt both relief and desire overtake her. Her toes were curling as Kate worked her, and she thought she was going to lose it, but somehow she fought back and let her mind control her body again, desperate to have Kate down there for as long as possible.</p><p>Kate ran her hands down Vicky's body to her thighs and gently spread her legs apart, giving her more access to the swollen folds she was eagerly enjoying. Kate moved her tongue lower and slipped inside the blonde, humming at the warmth that surrounded her tongue, knowing the vibration would add to Vicky's pleasure. Kate's hands slid over the blonde's skin to her ass and cupped the cheeks to lift the blonde off the bed. Kate moved one hand around and let her thumb press on Vicky's clit while she slid her tongue in and out of the blonde.</p><p>Vicky was arching up, forcing Kate's tongue deeper inside, her nipples taut and sensitive. She had to ease that tension, so she relaxed her weight down, letting Kate support her, and brought her hands up to cup her breasts. She was already starting to tighten her grip on Kate's tongue, and she was dangerously close, an incredible aching sensation starting deep inside. She was moaning, Kate's name on her lips, as her whole body flushed pink. "Baby, I'm close..."</p><p>Kate pulled away for a moment to grin up at Vicky and said, "Let yourself go, baby, come for me. I want to hear you scream." Kate then went back to her oral attentions, slipping one finger inside of Vicky as she sucked on the blonde's clit, wanting to push her over the edge and make her come in her mouth.</p><p>Vicky whimpered, and suddenly, without any hope of holding it in any longer, Vicky exploded, her juices pouring out over Kate's hand. She screamed out Kate's name and pulsed hard, her entire body humming with pleasure. Her chest heaved, and it took several moments for her body to relax back down onto the bed. She smiled down at Kate and managed, "Wow..."</p><p>Kate helped Vicky ride out her orgasm, and she licked up every drop of fluid that spilled forth. She slowly glided her finger out of Vicky and slid her body up the blonde's, kissing every inch of pink skin as she went. Her intense arousal sensitized her skin, and she knew it wouldn't take much to make her come.</p><p>Kate licked her way from Vicky's neck to her ear and whispered, "I knew you'd taste like heaven...I love being right." Kate ran her tongue over the shell of her ear before she pulled back and kissed Vicky, letting the blonde taste herself as the kiss deepened.</p><p>Vicky was still hungry for the brunette, and it was her turn to take Kate to the edge of the cliff. She rolled them so that Kate was on the bottom and grinned down at her, the heat still pouring off her body. "I hope you're ready for me, baby. I need you as I've never needed anyone before…"</p><p>She dropped her head to Kate's neck, the sweet scent of her skin mixed with the thin layer of sweat that was making her glow filled Vicky's senses, and she went to work kissing and licking her, one hand gently massaging Kate's breast.</p><p>Kate closed her eyes and surrendered to her blonde lover. "Oh yes, Vicky, I am so ready...take me, I need to feel you inside me..." Kate gripped the sheets with one hand while the other rested on the blonde's head. Kate wanted to draw it out as long as she could, but she knew she wouldn't last very long.</p><p>Vicky sat down next to her, her body close to Kate's, and placed one hand on Kate's stomach, tickling her by drawing little "S's " on her skin and then circling her navel. She looked down into Kate's eyes and smiled when she saw that her lover was having trouble keeping them open.</p><p>She started inching lower, and then with both hands, she spread Kate's legs and inhaled deeply, able to take in her scent from where she was sitting. She continued tickling Kate with her index and middle finger, caressing her swollen and glistening lips, chuckling when she saw her quivering.</p><p>Kate felt the pressure build inside, and she panted, "Baby, please...stop teasing...I need you, please..." Kate arched her hips, seeking firmer contact with Vicky's fingers.</p><p>Vicky looked at her with a feral gaze and then pulled her hand away, quickly moving between Kate's legs. She parted her lips and slid her tongue over the length of Kate's pussy, feeling her jump at the contact. Without warning, Vicky slipped her tongue inside of Kate and started thrusting in and out of the brunette's tight opening, her hands moving swiftly to add to her lover's pleasure. The left hand sought out Kate's full breasts, and the right came to a rest on Kate's soft curls, Vicky's thumb pressing on the brunette's throbbing clit as she worked. Kate's wetness was like sweet nectar pouring out of a juicy peach, and Vicky wanted as much as she could get.</p><p>Kate's senses went into overload, and she gave up trying to hold back in favor of letting go. Kate felt her orgasm crash through her, and she couldn't help but cry out, "Oh yes! Yes, Vicky, oh yes, baby!" Kate arched her back, and her eyes closed so tightly that she saw spots behind her eyelids. When she finally came down, Kate collapsed back on the bed and struggled to regain her breath.</p><p>Vicky slowed her tongue and eased off of Kate's clit to help her down. She kissed her pussy and then stretched out next to her, a smile on her face as she licked her lips, "Hmmm, I think it might be you who tastes like heaven, baby. That was amazing…" She kissed Kate's cheek and draped her hand over the brunette.</p><p>Kate was too weak from her orgasm to move, much less respond with anything intelligent, so she just said, "Hmmm..." Kate slowly turned her neck to face Vicky and smiled at the blonde as she looked at her.</p><p>Vicky leaned forward and kissed Kate's lips, brushing a piece of hair from her eyes, "I think maybe we should take a nap…you look sleepy."</p><p>Kate regained just enough movement to reach out and pull Vicky closer, snuggling into the blonde. "A nap sounds good. When we wake up, I'm going to have my way with you again." Kate nuzzled Vicky's neck and licked the sweat-slicked skin as her eyes drooped.</p><p>Vicky pulled the blanket over them and then tickled Kate's arm slowly until the brunette fell deeply asleep. She yawned and closed her own eyes, ready to fall asleep as well. The last thought she had before she drifted peacefully off was how quickly she was falling for the other woman and how ready she was for something like this to happen.</p>
<hr/><p>They slept for about a half-hour before Kate woke up and began to run her hands over Vicky's body. She felt the blonde slowly wake up, and she grinned and moved lower. Kate looked up at Vicky, "You ready for round two?"</p><p>Through the sleepy haze, Vicky smiled and answered, "Mmmm, yes. I love having sleepy sex. What did you have in mind?"</p><p>Without a word, Kate proceeded to show Vicky what she had in mind. Several hours later, they were both completely spent and satisfied, and they dropped off to sleep for the night.</p><p>Kate's last conscious thought was that if she wasn't careful, she'd fall head over heels in love with Vicky. She knew that would only cause her pain when her vacation was over, and she had to leave, but Kate could already tell that it might be too late to prevent it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Next Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Kate and Vicky face the next day. Another date and an unexpected cameo.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Vicky awoke when the sun came streaming in through the window. Her hair was draped over her face, but the glow from underneath was undeniable. She and Kate had spent a glorious afternoon making love, exploring each other, and making each other feel like there was no one else in the world except the two of them. Vicky couldn't remember the last time that she'd felt this happy, and she was grateful for having met Kate. She wanted to stay in that bed with her and just be. No cares, no interruptions, nothing but her and this woman that she was falling for so completely.</p>
<p>Slowly, against her will, Kate's body began to awaken. She kept her eyes closed, cherishing the memories of the night before. Kate snuggled deeper against the warm body next to her, loving the softness she found there. After a few moments, she sensed that Vicky was awake, and she smiled as she leaned back to look at the face of the woman she was cuddled against. She melted a little at the look in the blonde's eyes. "Good morning, baby."</p>
<p>Vicky smiled, a nice rosy hue in her cheeks, "Good morning." She cuddled closer to Kate and rubbed her back softly. "Did you sleep well?"</p>
<p>Kate grinned, she leaned closer and lightly kissed Vicky's chin, "What little sleep I did get, yes. You?"</p>
<p>"Mmmhmmm. I don't think I've slept this well in…years. Thank you," she said and pecked her forehead. "You were so amazing last night..."</p>
<p>Kate blushed, "You weren't so bad yourself." She smiled as she ran a hand over Vicky's hip.<br/>
Kate was so soft and gentle, but Vicky had also seen that she could be powerful and commanding, and she liked that a lot. Her hand drifted into Kate's short hair, and she smiled, "You're so beautiful."</p>
<p>Kate had never been comfortable with praise about her looks. Her years as a model had taught her that looks were superficial, and anyone who told you that you were beautiful usually had a personal agenda. It had made Kate a little wary of such compliments even though it had been several years since she left the modeling world behind for law enforcement. But hearing Vicky say it, the look in her eyes as she spoke the words, made Kate wish she could let go of her past and believe the truth of the words. Instead, she smiled as she shifted her body and rolled Vicky onto her back. Without a word, she hovered over the blonde goddess for a second and then lowered herself down to kiss the lips that had brought her so much pleasure the night before.</p>
<p>Vicky held onto her and kissed her back deeply, her tongue playing with Kate's. She could feel herself becoming aroused again, and she knew that it was one choice or the other: stop kissing her and get out of bed or continue kissing her and stay in bed. Vicky was a fan of the latter, but she thought she should give Kate a choice instead of assuming. She pulled back and looked into Kate's eyes, "If you keep kissing me like that, I might just have to have my way with you again..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned down at her, the thought did have some appeal, but she felt the need to ask, "Don't you have to work today? I don't want to get you in trouble with your boss, despite your $8,000 sale yesterday." The tone in her voice suggested that she didn't completely believe Vicky's story from yesterday simply because it seemed a little too convenient. At the time, she hadn't questioned it because she wanted to spend the afternoon with Vicky, but she couldn't in good conscience let Vicky miss another day of work just so that they could be together. After all, Kate was on vacation, but Vicky wasn't.</p>
<p>"Yes, I do, but it doesn't mean we can't make love again before I have to get ready…" she said with a grin before caressing Kate's cheek. "I'm sorry, I just can't seem to get enough to you."</p>
<p>Kate closed her eyes as the words sank in. She leaned into Vicky's touch on her cheek, and after a moment, she opened her eyes, smiling, "Trust me, the feeling is most definitely mutual, but something tells me if we start something, you're not going to make it in to work today at all." Kate softened her words with a kiss, "So how about you go take a shower and get ready, and I'll...make you some breakfast?"</p>
<p>Vicky smiled, "Ok, deal, but that's mostly because I think you're a wonderful cook…not sure why, just a gut feeling." She leaned up and kissed her one more time before slipping out from under Kate, "Everything you need is in the fridge…pans are hanging over the center island, and utensils are in the drawer to the right of the stove."</p>
<p>Kate felt the loss of contact and fought not to pull Vicky back into bed. She instead grinned up at the blonde who was wrapping a robe around her body. "Well, you'll just have to wait and be surprised. Now go, shower while I make breakfast." Kate shooed the other woman out of the bedroom, oddly shy about her nudity now that they weren't in the throes of passion.</p>
<p>Vicky trudged over to the bathroom and looked back with a pout, missing Kate already, "I won't be long…" She disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower, though she hated to wash Kate's scent from her skin.</p>
<p>Kate grinned at the pout. It was so adorable. She got up from the bed and quickly found her shirt and jeans from yesterday. She didn't like having to put them back on, but she didn't think anything Vicky owned would fit her. She walked on bare feet into the kitchen and looked in the fridge. She smiled as she saw that Vicky did indeed have everything she needed to make her favorite breakfast dish. She pulled out the ingredients from the fridge, gathered the pans and bowls she needed, and began working while humming a silly love song under her breath.</p>
<p>By the time Vicky got out of the shower, she could smell a wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. She put on her robe and towel-dried her hair before walking out of the room. She crossed over to the kitchen and leaned against the island, watching Kate as she finished preparing the meal. "Hey beautiful, it smells good..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she looked over at Vicky. Over the aroma of the food was the clean, fresh scent that came from Vicky. She smelled so good. "It's not the only thing that smells good. Come here." Kate used one hand to grip the lapel of Vicky's robe, and she pulled her closer. Kate buried her face in Vicky's neck, inhaling deeply before opening her mouth and began tasting the skin there.</p>
<p>Vicky smiled and chuckled, "I see you're still hungry…do I taste good?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Mmmhmmm...honey, you taste so good; you could be the fifth food group..." Kate said, too turned on to care if she sounded cheesy or corny. She slid the hand that had been holding Vicky's robe under the silky material and caressed the soft skin of her abdomen. Kate's other hand turned off the stove so she could concentrate on devouring Vicky without worrying about burning the food.</p>
<p>Vicky moaned, her stomach muscles tightening and relaxing under Kate's touch. "God, you're making me wet again..."</p>
<p>Kate pulled away, grinning. "Good...I like the thought of you, wet, working at the gallery without being able to get relief...anticipating tonight when I get you into bed and make you come so hard you'll pass out," Kate whispered into Vicky's ear before she reached her tongue out to trace the outer shell teasingly.</p>
<p>Vicky shivered and nearly passed out right there in her arms. "God, you have no idea how badly I want you right now…it's going to make work seem like torture. I'll be squirming until I can come home and be with you again…"</p>
<p>Kate grinned at the words, "Then my evil plan is working." Kate leaned in and kissed Vicky, "Now come on, the food's ready." Kate turned back to the stove and began dishing up their breakfast onto two plates, and she moved to the table with them.</p>
<p>Vicky sat down and smiled when she looked at her plate. "Nice to see I was right; you are a good cook."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, she knew Vicky was dying to ask what it was, and she wondered how long it would take her. In the end, she decided she didn't want to wait, so she said, "Well, try it before you praise it. It's called Malukuao."</p>
<p>Vicky looked up at her, "Come again?" Then she blushed and said, "Um, forget I said that. What is it? "</p>
<p>Kate chuckled at Vicky's slip on the tongue. She cleared her throat, "Um...it's a dish my mother used to make on Sunday mornings. She gave it the weird name when I was five, and I asked her what this weird new dish was. She called it Malukuao and said it was an old family recipe passed down through the generations since the 1600s." Kate grinned, "Yeah, I was five, and I believed her. When I was 16, she told me the truth; it was a dish she had invented all on her own. It's a carefully chaotic blend of eggs, sausage, peppers, cheese, and a secret ingredient that my mom didn't reveal to me until I was 18." Kate paused as she looked at Vicky, "It was her favorite thing to make for breakfast, and it's become my favorite too. I hope you like it."</p>
<p>Vicky could see the sparkle in Kate's eyes, and she said, "I know I will." She took a bite and made an "Mmmmm" sound, "This is amazing! Do you think someday maybe you'll teach me to make it? "</p>
<p>Kate's smile faltered for a split second but was soon back in full force. No one had ever asked her to teach them how to make Malukuao. That was probably also because she didn't often make it for others. Only Lanie, Ryan, and Esposito had ever had the honor. "Um...yeah, maybe, one day." Kate wasn't comfortable making long-term plans when she didn't know if she would ever see Vicky again after her vacation was over. But she tried to hide her reluctance, "But if you learn how to make it, you might not need me around anymore."</p>
<p>"Even if I knew, I'd still want you to make it for me. I'd want to learn to treat you to breakfast once in a while. My culinary repertoire is fairly limited..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Well...I happen to have a fairly broad resume when it comes to food so, I'm sure we can come to some...arrangement."</p>
<p>"I like the sound of that. We can trade food secrets for massages. I'm gifted with my hands," she said with a grin and then turned her attention to her food. She was talking in the long term, but realistically she knew that Kate was leaving soon and she couldn't go with her. She just liked to think of what could be possible.</p>
<p>Kate blushed as she remembered just how gifted those hands were. She turned to her food and tried to think about something else. "Um, what time do you get out of work today?"</p>
<p>"About 5:30. What do you have planned for your day?"</p>
<p>"I have to swing by my hotel and shower and change clothes then after that, I'll probably walk around for a bit, find a nice quiet spot in a park with some sun and read my Castle book. Did you want to meet for lunch again?"</p>
<p>"I'd love that. I'll be free from noon to one, so we can have a nice meal somewhere or even picnic in the park if you want. "</p>
<p>"That sounds nice. I'll swing by the gallery around noon with a picnic, and you can show me where there's a nice park for it, ok?" Kate liked the thought of a picnic in the sunshine. She had already fallen in love with the weather here...and falling for Vicky wasn't too far behind.</p>
<p>"I know the perfect place. I'll take my walking shoes to change into. I don't like wearing my heels on grass, " she said, sounding very girly.</p>
<p>Kate just grinned. "Then it's a date. Now hurry up and finish your breakfast. You need to get to work and, maybe, drop me off at my hotel on the way?" Kate's voice started out a little bossy but tapered off to questioning.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and then finished up her breakfast. Once the dishes were cleared from the table, she grabbed her keys and drove Kate back to her hotel. During the drive, she kept one hand on the wheel, and the other was laced with Kate's hand, maintaining their connection for as long as possible. When they arrived at the hotel, Kate reluctantly left the car after kissing Vicky good-bye. She knew that Vicky had to be at work soon, but they both found comfort in the fact that it would only be a few hours before they'd see each other again.</p><hr/>
<p>Kate went up to her room and threw herself on the bed. She stared at the ceiling with a goofy smile on her face. Last night had been one of the best nights of her life.</p>
<p>Kate slowly sat up, still smiling, and walked over to the bathroom to turn on the water for a shower. She looked at herself in the mirror as she removed her clothes. Kate blushed when she saw the various tiny hickeys that Vicky had left on her skin. Kate smiled as she remembered exactly how each mark was made on her chest. She lightly traced the darkest mark, resting on her collarbone, high enough to be seen if wearing a v-neck but easily hidden by a t-shirt or dress shirt. There was a moment, just after Vicky had made that mark when Kate had joked about the blonde "marking her territory." Vicky had smiled slyly but didn't say anything, preferring to resume her oral teasing of Kate's breasts. Kate liked the mark; she liked the thought of Vicky marking her, making it clear to anyone who noticed that Kate was taken.</p><hr/>
<p>Vicky was in a haze as she attended to her work at the gallery. Almost like she was on autopilot. She documented sales, took photos of the new pieces that had come in yesterday afternoon, did a walkthrough to make sure everything was in its place, but none of it really registered. All she could think about was Kate and everything that they had shared the night before. She hadn't felt this alive since before she was put into the program, during the few months that she and her ex, Olivia Benson, were together and still happy. Still, it wasn't anything like this. Kate was ok with who she was; she knew that she loved being with women, and Vicky knew it. She didn't feel as though she was an experiment or something to be hidden away.</p>
<p>Kate had embraced her, and Vicky felt safe enough to assert her passion and hunger for the other woman, going so far as leaving those marks on her body. She wanted Kate, and the idea of having to say good-bye to her was more than she could really handle right now. It just seemed like a cruel torture that Kate lived in New York, and that was the one place Vicky wanted to be more than anywhere else…now, she had an even greater reason why.</p><hr/>
<p>Kate was sitting on the bed in her hotel room in her bathrobe. She had some time before she had to meet Vicky with the picnic lunch that she had already ordered from room service. They were even providing the basket, and it would be delivered to her room just before she had to leave.</p>
<p>For the moment, Kate decided to take a few minutes to relax. She knew things were moving fairly fast between her and Vicky, and while, intellectually, she knew they should slow down, her heart was overriding her logic. She felt compelled to enjoy her time with Vicky and worry later about the loneliness that would surround her back in New York.</p>
<p>Kate's eyes fell on the two books that were resting on the nightstand. She smiled as she picked up the first one that Richard Castle had ever written and ran her fingers lightly over the cover. She was such a huge fan of Richard Castle and his amazing writing that she could hardly wait to sit down and read it. Kate idly wondered how he managed to write the law enforcement side so realistically, not to mention how he could get into the criminal mind so completely. Kate sighed as she realized that she'd never know, so there was really no point wondering...besides, she had much better things to think about.</p>
<p>Kate got up and started to get dressed. She chose a dark blue t-shirt and blue jeans with her black ballet flats. Kate liked how she looked and hoped Vicky would too. A knock on her door alerted her that it was almost time to get Vicky. She opened the door and let the waiter set the basket on the small table by the wall. She tipped him, thanked him, and he left.</p>
<p>Kate grabbed the canvas tote that she'd bought the day before she met Vicky and tucked Castle's book into it along with her cell phone. She grabbed the basket and the tote and left her hotel to begin walking in the direction of the gallery, the smile on her face showing no signs of going away anytime soon.</p>
<p>She had almost arrived at the gallery when her cell phone buzzed a text. She stopped at a nearby bench and set the basket down to check her cell. It was Lanie:</p>
<p>
  <i>[hey girl! Just checkin' on ya. I didn't hear from u after yesterday morning. Lemme know ur safe plz!]</i>
</p>
<p>Kate smiled. It was nice knowing someone was worried about her. She hit the reply button and typed out her response:</p>
<p>
  <i>[hey, Lanie. Sorry bout the silence. Got lost in a book, but I'm alive &amp; well! tnx 4 caring!]</i>
</p>
<p>Kate didn't like lying to her friend but knew she'd never get any peace if she told the truth. Kate stood from the bench and started walking towards the gallery again. She noticed a beautiful redhead enter the gallery and paused, not wanting to bother Vicky if she was occupied. After a few minutes, she realized the woman would be a while, so she stepped into the gallery, deciding to look at the artwork again while she waited for Vicky.</p><hr/>
<p>While Kate was outside texting Lanie, Vicky was busy in the back supervising some moving men when she heard the front doorbell jingle. Someone was in the gallery, and she hoped it was the someone she was hoping for. She instructed the men to stack some crates over by the corner and then walked out front to see if it was Kate who'd walked inside.</p>
<p>Vicky had to work hard to hide her disappointment when she saw that the visitor wasn't Kate but rather a beautiful red-haired woman. Vicky quickly took stock of the woman and pegged her as a serious buyer, not just one of the browsers that usually ended up being a waste of her time. Vicky stepped closer to the woman and smiled. "Hello, welcome to the Serenity Jones Gallery. My name is Vicky. Are you looking for something specific?"</p>
<p>The woman smiled as Vicky approached. "Hello, my name is Catherine. I'm in town for a seminar, but my father asked me to come by and take a look at some paintings he saw here last month. My father owns a few hotel-casinos in Las Vegas, and he's looking into replacing some of the artwork in the high roller suites."</p>
<p>"Do you see anything that you like?" Vicky asked politely. It might be another big day for her and the galley.</p>
<p>"Well, there are some lovely pieces…but I'd like to have a collection of 5 or 6 works from the artist who created this painting," Catherine said as she pointed to a wonderful abstract piece.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and was about to respond when she heard the door open again. It was Kate. Vicky grinned and waved discreetly to Kate before returning her attention to the other woman, "Um, we work with the artist, and he has an entire studio full of paintings. If you'd like, I can arrange for him to send over some snapshots of his work, and you can pick the ones you like most."</p>
<p>Catherine smiled, "I'd appreciate that. I'm actually on my way back to give a talk, but perhaps I can come in this afternoon and browse the work." Catherine liked the idea of seeing this woman again. She was stunning, and now that Catherine was single again, thanks to Sara running off to God knows where and leaving her a 'Dear Jane' letter as her only explanation, Catherine thought maybe this trip to New Mexico for a forensic seminar didn't have to be a total waste. The thought that this woman might be straight or taken didn't even cross her mind as Catherine turned on her charm. She had yet to meet a woman, straight or not, that she couldn't get into her bed.</p>
<p>Kate watched the redhead flirt with Vicky and couldn't help the insecurity that flared up. The woman was beautiful, poised, sexy, confident, and she was standing a little too close to Vicky for Kate's liking, but Kate fought down her jealousy, explaining to herself that she was just imagining it.</p>
<p>The blonde, who was focused on her upcoming lunch with Kate, didn't realize that Catherine was obviously flirting with her. She just wanted to get her out of the gallery so that she could be alone with her new lover. She shook the woman's hand and said, "Of course, I'll be here to work with you when you're done."</p>
<p>"Great. I'll see you later then," Catherine said with a slick smile, and then she brushed past Kate on her way out of the gallery.</p>
<p>Kate watched the woman leave and got a whiff of perfume as she passed her. She smelled rich, but she reminded herself that Vicky had sent her away in what seemed like a hurry, and she smiled once again. When she noticed that the gallery was empty, she walked over to Vicky and kissed her lips, "Hi."</p>
<p>"Hi. Don't you look lovely?" Vicky asked with a smile. "Let me just change my shoes, and we'll get out of here." She walked to the counter and slipped out of her heels quickly. She put on a pair of comfortable tennis shoes and struck a pose for Kate, "Ta-da!" Then she walked out with Kate and asked, "Can I help carry something?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she walked next to Vicky. "Nope, I got it. The sneakers look nice on you." Kate slipped her free hand through Vicky's arm, pulling her closer as they walked. She really liked being close to her.</p>
<p>"Blouse, pencil skirt, stockings, and sneakers, I'm one of the few who can pull it off," she teased.<br/>
"We're headed up to Hyde Park. There's a large field where we can sit and enjoy the beautiful weather and our meal."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Sounds good to me. And baby, you can make acid-washed jeans and tie-dye t-shirts with pumps look good."</p>
<p>"God, I hope I never have to wear anything like that, ever." Vicky loved her clothes, and unless someone forced her, she'd never don an outfit like that.</p>
<p>Kate pouted, but she had an idea. "Well...Halloween is coming up...you could dress up as a mall queen from the 80s," Kate suggested, struggling not to laugh at the look on Vicky's face.</p>
<p>"The only way in hell I'd do that is if I could put you in a ballerina outfit, tutu and all…" Vicky said with an evil grin.</p>
<p>Kate took a moment to conjure that mental image and said, "I might be talked into that…given the right motivation." Kate's voice took on a seductive tone as she grazed her fingernails across the inside of Vicky's forearm.</p>
<p>"So what would it take, exactly, for me to get you into a ballerina outfit?" Vicky asked, her curiosity piqued by Kate's statement. She knew that the other woman liked to tease, but she would seriously like to see her walk into her bedroom in a leotard, tutu, and ballet slippers just for the novelty of it all. Of course, she'd enjoy helping her out of the outfit even more.</p>
<p>Kate faltered for a moment, not expecting Vicky to call her on her comment. She thought about the question and said, "Hmmm...well...it might involve you and me in New York at a Halloween party...in the Village where we won't stand out too much and maybe...just maybe...you letting me take pictures of you in the tie-dye and acid-wash..." Kate said, thinking on her feet but knowing she was coming up with a lame response.</p>
<p>"Really? I expected something much kinkier than that," she said as they arrived at the park. The grass was still very green and lush, and any place would be good to settle down for lunch. They walked along the sidewalk until Vicky spotted the perfect place. She led Kate over and said, "Do you like it here?"</p>
<p>Kate looked down at the area Vicky stopped at and said, "Yeah, this is fine." Then she chuckled, "And as for your earlier comment, not everything has to be about sex. Besides, I'm not very kinky. Sorry," Kate said with a shrug, her voice holding no trace of an apology.</p>
<p>"Yes, I know, it was just unexpected that it was something so innocent," Vicky said as she helped Kate spread out a blanket and then the food. She sat down and tried to peek into the basket, "What did you pack?"</p>
<p>Kate playfully tapped Vicky's hands away, "No peeking. I had the hotel pack a few things I thought you might like." Kate smiled at Vicky as she unpacked containers of cheese cubes, crackers, and grapes. She also brought out two sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, a bottle of non-alcoholic white wine, and two plastic wine glasses. "I hope I made the right choices."</p>
<p>"It looks wonderful Kate, I love wine and cheese, and if you indulge me, I'd like to feed you grapes..."</p>
<p>Kate blushed. "I'd like that. Um...the wine is non-alcoholic because I know you have to go back to work," Kate explained as she opened the containers and spread the cheese, crackers, and grapes on the round plate the hotel had provided.</p>
<p>Vicky took the liberty of pouring a glass for each of them and handed one to Kate. She held up her glass and smiled, clinking the glasses before taking a sip. Then she set it down and reached out for the grapes. She moved closer to Kate and plucked a grape, "Open up."</p>
<p>Kate set her glass down and smiled as she leaned forward and opened her mouth.</p>
<p>Vicky gently slipped a grape into Kate's mouth and then caressed her cheek. She plucked another grape and waited until Kate was ready for another. "Is it good?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she chewed the grape. She swallowed, then leaned forward and kissed Vicky. The kiss deepened right away, and Kate let herself get lost in it.</p>
<p>Vicky could taste the sweetness and moved a little closer to Kate. She set down the bunch of grapes and ran her fingers through Kate's hair.</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she felt Vicky move closer, and she shifted closer, wrapping her arm around the blonde's waist.</p>
<p>Vicky loved the way it felt when she and Kate were close like this. It helped her not to feel so alone in a place where she saw herself like a perpetual square peg. She lightly scratched Kate's scalp and moaned into the kiss.</p>
<p>Kate reluctantly pulled away from the kiss. "Baby, as much as I am enjoying this, we should stop. This is a public park, and I think getting arrested for public lewdness might be a bit of a mood killer," Kate said, trying to inject a little humor. She didn't want to stop, and she didn't want Vicky to think that she was trying to hide anything they were from the world. She just didn't want to get arrested and have to explain that to her Captain...not to mention the fact that she knew Ryan and Esposito would never let her live it down.</p>
<p>Vicky chuckled, "Agreed. Here, open." She held up another grape and fed it to Kate before turning her attention to the cheese. She picked up a cube and popped it in her mouth, thoroughly enjoying the rich flavor. Whoever packed this picnic certainly knew what they were doing.</p>
<p>Kate finished her grape and smiled at Vicky. "So, tell me something about you? Something that most people don't know, please?"</p>
<p>Vicky looked up at her as her blood ran cold, and she swallowed hard, "Um…something they don't know… Uh, well, I…I'm a huge Frank Sinatra fan." She smiled, hoping her facial expression wasn't giving away that there was something deeper.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, she sensed there was something Vicky wasn't telling her, but she decided not to push. Everyone had secrets, things they didn't bring out into the light of day, and Kate was fine with that for now. "Sinatra? He had some great songs."</p>
<p>"He did. I also loved his movies. High Society was my favorite, though. When I was a little girl, I watched it with my mom, and I just loved it. I wanted Grace Kelly to end up with him instead of Bing Crosby," she said with a chuckle.</p>
<p>Kate frowned, "I don't think I've ever seen that movie. What's it about?" Kate wanted to know more about Vicky, and she liked classic movies. If the movie had Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra, then it definitely qualified as a classic.</p>
<p>"It's about a spoiled socialite who is getting married to her second husband, except her first husband, Bing Crosby, doesn't want to let her go. Toss in two reporters who are there to spy on the wedding preparation, and you've got a classic comedy with some really wonderful musical numbers. Sinatra was one of the reporters, and he, of course, also fell for Grace."</p>
<p>Kate tilted her head. "I like the sound of that. I don't suppose we could rent it some time and watch it together?" Kate asked, curious.</p>
<p>"I own it, so maybe one night after dinner, we can settle in on my couch and watch it. I must warn you, though; I might be a little touchy-feely while we watch. Nothing beyond PG-13, but the movie always makes me feel romantic."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "I like the sound of that, and trust me when I say this; I won't mind if you get touchy-feely. In case you haven't noticed, I like touching you and being touched by you, so I don't think that's going to be a problem. Maybe we could have dinner tonight at your place, and we can watch the movie?" Kate didn't want to push or anything, but she really wanted to spend as much time with Vicky as she could while she was in town.</p>
<p>"That sounds perfect. We can order out and enjoy a nice quiet evening on my leather couch with the big screen. And when we're done eating, I'll hold you in my arms and shower you with my attentions."</p>
<p>"I like the sound of that...but instead of ordering in, how about I cook dinner...something really yummy." Kate liked the thought of cooking for Vicky. Kate didn't cook for just anyone, but she wanted to cook for Vicky.</p>
<p>"Are you sure? I don't want you to have to slave over a hot stove just for me…" Vicky said and took a sip of wine.</p>
<p>Kate leaned forward and kissed Vicky, tasting the wine on her tongue. "Yeah, I'm sure. I want to make you a meal, and you can shower me with your...attentions after dinner. Deal?"</p>
<p>"Sure. Is there anything special you need for the meal?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "All I need is you. If you can tell me where I can find a grocery store, I can get exactly what I need while you're at work."</p>
<p>"There's one near the mall. It's about 2 miles from here. Do you want to borrow my car to go?"</p>
<p>Kate raised an eyebrow, "You would trust me to drive your car?"</p>
<p>"Why not? You have a license, right? I have full coverage in case anything happens..."</p>
<p>Kate raised her hand to Vicky's face. "Yes, I have a license and a very safe driving record. I can pick you up from work at 5:30."</p>
<p>"Sounds perfect. I'll give you my keys when we get back to the gallery."</p><p> </p>
<p>Kate and Vicky were walking back to the gallery holding hands. Kate was a little nervous about borrowing Vicky's car, especially when she wasn't very familiar with this town, but she was determined to surprise Vicky with a great dinner. Kate glanced over at the blonde and smiled as she traced her profile with her eyes, memorizing every line. She wanted to commit every detail to memory so that when she was back in her little apartment in Manhattan, she could pull out the images of Vicky and keep herself warm at night. Kate stumbled on a crack in the sidewalk and leaned against Vicky to keep from falling. She looked up at Vicky, "Sorry, I'm a bit of a klutz sometimes."</p>
<p>Vicky smiled, "I don't mind being the one to catch you." She squeezed Kate's hand and then looked into her eyes, "You have the most beautiful eyes. I don't think I could ever get tired of looking into them."</p>
<p>Kate blushed, "Um...thanks..." Kate didn't know what to say to that. She never really thought her eyes were anything special. They were brown, nothing remarkable about that. Kate looked into Vicky's eyes and thought that she could drown in them. They were a shade of blue that reminded her of swimming pools she saw in the Olympics. Kate reached up and caressed Vicky's cheek, "You are...so much more than I could ever have hoped for, and I...I am happy that I met you." Kate smiled and leaned closer to kiss Vicky.</p>
<p>Vicky blushed. "I feel the same about you, Kate. I can't tell you how happy I am that you fell in love with the Chapel and came here. I just wish there was a way I could go back with you," Vicky said sadly. She missed New York, and the thought of getting to go back with Kate was enough to make her cry. She needed to go home, and she wanted to make that journey with this woman who was making her so happy.</p>
<p>Kate rested her head on Vicky's shoulder for a moment. She took a deep breath before she lifted her head and looked into Vicky's eyes, "So why don't you? I mean, you must have some vacation time saved up at the gallery, why not come visit me in New York?" Kate knew she sounded a little excited and maybe even a tad desperate, but she couldn't help it. She really wanted to show Vicky her New York and share the little hidden gems the city held that most people didn't know about.</p>
<p>"I…" Vicky sighed, "You have no idea how much I would love that, Kate…but I wouldn't be able to take a vacation until the holidays, and you know how hard it is to travel to large cities during that time…couldn't we go someplace else? Upstate maybe? We could find a nice little resort and just get away from it all."</p>
<p>Kate looked at Vicky for a moment, then thought about what she was asking, "Um...yeah that, um...that sounds good. Somewhere with snow and a cabin with a fireplace, maybe?" Kate smiled as the thought grew on her. She could always show Vicky her favorite places another time. Kate liked the thought of having Vicky all to herself in a cabin, snowed in with a roaring fire in the fireplace, some good wine, and nothing but hours to spend enjoying each other.</p>
<p>"I know a place just like that, actually. It's up in the Hudson Valley. I can show you when you come over later. It's beautiful," she said with a smile as she thought about how perfect that place would be.</p>
<p>Kate leaned forward and kissed Vicky. She pulled away and said, "I'd like that. But now we should get to the gallery, so you're not late getting back to work, and I can go get the things I need for dinner, ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and then continued back to the gallery. When they got back, Vicky went to the desk and unlocked the drawer to get her keys. She took them out and jingled them, grinning at Kate.</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Vicky's grin. She stepped closer and reached for the keys. When Vicky moved her hand back, out of her reach, Kate leaned closer and kissed her, deepening the kiss and running her hand around Vicky's waist and down to her ass. Kate squeezed gently, distracting Vicky enough to let her reach up with her other hand and grab the keys from Vicky's limp hand. Kate slipped the keys into her pocket before she pulled away and smiled up at Vicky, "Thank you."</p>
<p>Vicky struggled to catch her breath and grinned again, "You're welcome. Um, I have GPS in the car, just type in Albertson's, and it should guide you straight there."</p>
<p>Kate squeezed Vicky's butt again, smiling as Vicky's eyes widened. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Vicky's pulse point.</p>
<p>"PG-13 is quickly flying out the window," Vicky said with a sly grin. "Now get going before I take you in back."</p>
<p>Kate pulled back and bit her bottom lip, thinking about Vicky's warning. "Not that I wouldn't love to go in the back and let you have your wicked way with me, but this is your job, and I don't want to get you in trouble in case your boss or a customer shows up. So I will get going and get what I need to make you a dinner that you will love. I will be back here at 5:30 to pick you up, ok?"</p>
<p>"Sounds perfect, babe. Be safe." She placed her hands on Kate's cheeks and leaned in to kiss her one last time before letting her go on her way. She looked at the clock and sighed; she still had a long time to wait before Kate would be back to pick her up and take her home. She chuckled at herself when she realized just how bad she had it for this woman. She'd barely left, and she was already wishing it was time for her to come back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Dinner and a Movie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A quiet evening in, our girls learn more about each other and talk about what the future might hold.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kate got back into Vicky's car after placing the grocery bags in the back seat. She checked the time and saw she had just under an hour before she had to get Vicky from work. Rather than let the groceries sit in the car, she decided to drop the food off at Vicky's house before she went to pick up the blonde. Kate checked the keyring and smiled when she noticed the house key. The only problem was, she didn't quite remember how they had gotten to Vicky's the night before, so she was going to need the GPS to find her way. The only problem was, she didn't have Kates's address, but always resourceful; she opened the glove compartment and found the car's registration. She typed the address into the unit and made the drive across town.</p>
<p>When Kate got to Vicky's house, she quickly transferred the bags of food to the kitchen. She had to fight the urge to snoop around a bit now that she was alone in Vicky's house. The detective in her was curious, but she knew it would be wrong, so she quickly put the fridge things in the fridge and left the house. She got back in the car and took a deep breath before pulling away from the house and heading towards the gallery. It was almost 5:30, and she didn't want to be late.</p>
<p>Vicky was just finishing up some paperwork with Ms. Willows when she saw Kate walk through the door. She looked over and smiled, mouthing the words, "I'm almost done."</p>
<p>Catherine leaned over on the counter as Vicky filled out the form, her chest resting against the marble in a very seductive way. This time, without Kates's presence, Catherine's advances were glaringly clear, but Vicky continued to remain professional, which only prompted Catherine to come on stronger. She handed a pen to the redhead and said, "Just sign there, and the artwork will be crated and shipped to your father's casino right away."</p>
<p>Kate watched silently from across the room as Vicky dealt with the flirty redhead. It didn't take a detective to see that she wanted to bed Vicky. Once again, Kate felt the jealousy rise, but this time, there was something else there...it was insecurity.</p>
<p>The redhead was beautiful, sexy, and a little exotic looking. Kate knew she was attractive, but she was also a bit insecure about her looks and relationships. Kate's last two 'girlfriends' had left her for women who were...more beautiful, more feminine.</p>
<p>The thing that her exes failed to understand was that Kate couldn't afford to be as girly as she might like because she always had to prove herself as one of the guys if she wanted to get ahead in the NYPD. She was who she was, but that didn't always make it easy to meet other women. On the other hand, Vicky was very feminine, and Kate loved that about her, but it also made her wonder if Vicky might want someone more like the redhead who was actively and openly flirting with her right now in her high heels and low-cut blouse. Kate sighed, knowing if Vicky made that choice, there wouldn't be anything she could do about it...except maybe cry or hit something.</p>
<p>While Kate was waiting, Catherine picked up the pen to sign the form and deliberately added her personal number at the bottom, "Feel free to call me, I'm in town for a few more days... I would like to see you again in a less...professional setting."</p>
<p>Vicky put on the most polite face she could manage and said, "Ms. Willows, I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I have to decline. I'm actually seeing someone, and I care about her very much. If that means you want to cancel your order, I'll understand, but I won't hurt her. I'm sorry."</p>
<p>Kate had to turn away when she heard what Vicky said. She had to hide the smile and the tears that had sprung to her eyes. She discreetly wiped the tears away and pretended to study the painting on the wall.</p>
<p>Catherine looked up at Vicky, obviously offended by the implication that she only wanted the art to get a date with her. "Ms. Harrison, I don't need to use guises to get a date, and I don't appreciate you implying that I do. We want the art; dating you simply would've been a little bit of fun on the side. If you don't want to take the opportunity, it's your loss. Have the art delivered within two days..."Then she picked up her bag and stormed out of the gallery.</p>
<p>Vicky raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "Wow, that was unreal." Then she looked over at Kate and smiled, obviously tired, "Hey beautiful."</p>
<p>Kate heard the woman leave, and she hid another smile. Vicky's rejection made Kate happy, but she knew she shouldn't show it. She shouldn't be smug. Kate turned around when Vicky addressed her. She smiled at the blonde, "Hey, babe. You ready to go?"</p>
<p>"You have no idea. After dealing with that woman for 4 hours, I need a glass of wine, a good meal, and even better company..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Well, I can help you there. I have the wine and the food at your place, waiting for me to cook it, and now, I have you, so if you'll come with me, we can get you home and relaxed, ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky smiled gratefully, "Thank you. I don't think I've ever been happier to get out of work. I just pray that woman doesn't say anything to my boss about what I 'implied.' I'm sure he wouldn't believe her, but I really just want to forget the whole thing."</p>
<p>Kate stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Vicky's waist. She leaned forward and kissed Vicky's lips. "I hope she doesn't get you in trouble either, but right now there's nothing you can do about it so...let's go back to your place, and I will make you a very delicious dinner, we will drink some wine and watch High Society while we snuggle on your couch and just forget about her. Deal?"</p>
<p>"Deal." She took Kate's hand and walked out, locking up before they walked to Vicky's car. She looked at Kate, unsure of who was going to drive. "Um, do you want me to drive?" she asked.</p>
<p>Kate blushed, "Um...yeah. It's your car, so here."She handed Vicky the keys. She hadn't thought about who was going to drive because she'd forgotten that this wasn't her car. She had fallen into her usual mindset of being, for lack of a better term, 'the guy' and taking the lead. She had to remind herself that she didn't have to do that here...she could let Vicky take the lead, and in all reality, she should let her because the blonde was more familiar with the city and the streets.</p>
<p>Vicky opened the passenger door for Kate and then went around to get in. She started the car and pulled out into the street, the path home being like second nature to her at this point. "So, did you enjoy your afternoon out on the town?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Vicky, "Yes, I did. I missed you though, would've been nice to have a tour guide." Kate slipped her hand over Vicky's thigh, and she squeezed gently, "I had a wickedly delicious fantasy about you while I was in the grocery store...it was hot and, maybe soon...I'll make it a reality if you're willing."Kate grinned, wondering if Vicky would be open to fulfilling fantasies or not.</p>
<p>Vicky glanced over at her when they came to a red light, "Do tell..."</p>
<p>Kate demurred, "Not yet. It's too good to share right now. But I will, soon."She wanted to wait for the right moment; she wanted it to be...romantic.</p>
<p>"Tease," Vicky said with a grin and then started down the street again when the light turned green. The drive home took about the same amount of time as usual. The 5 o'clock traffic in Santa Fe unbearable. She didn't understand how a city so small could have such traffic issues, but then again, she figured that things moved slower out west, which led to congestion on the road. When they got to her house, she and Kate went inside, and Vicky kicked off her heels, "So good to be home."</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Vicky and stepped behind her. She wrapped her arms around her and held her close as she kissed Vicky's neck and murmured, "I know that feeling. It feels so good to hold you again. I don't ever want to let you go." Kate squeezed a little tighter, "But I promised you dinner, so I guess I'm going to have to, huh?"</p>
<p>"The sooner you finish, the sooner we can spoon on the couch," Vicky said, though she too was reluctant for Kate to let her go. She caressed Kate's arm and then said, "I know what will help. Let's get that wine..."</p>
<p>Kate didn't let go. She held on and moved her mouth over Vicky's neck, tasting the skin there, and she grinned wickedly when she found a spot that a shirt could hide and sucked on it. Kate wanted to brand Vicky as hers. She wanted a physical reminder that this wonderful, beautiful woman was hers...at least for right now.</p>
<p>Vicky moaned and gripped Kate's thighs, squeezing gently, "Oh Kate...God..."</p>
<p>Kate rubbed her hands against Vicky's abdomen, and she lifted her head just enough to see the mark she'd made on Vicky's skin. She smiled and then licked the mark, soothing it just a little. "Mine," she whispered with a little bit of smug pride in her voice.</p>
<p>Vicky felt something warm when she heard the whisper, and she leaned her head back against Kate's shoulder, "Say it again..."</p>
<p>"Mine," She whispered again, slipping her hands up to cup Vicky's breasts.</p>
<p>"Is that what you want, Kate? For me to be yours?" Vicky asked in a husky voice.</p>
<p>"More than I have ever wanted anything in my life." She whispered, "I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep with you in my arms every night. I know it might be too soon to be saying this, but yeah...I want you to be mine. More importantly, though," she paused, smiled against Vicky's neck, and kissed her, "I want to be yours."</p>
<p>Vicky turned in Kate's arms and gazed into the brunette's gorgeous brown eyes, "I want you to be mine. I want to do all the things you mentioned and more...I don't want you to go back to New York...at least until I can go with you... I know that's not realistic, but it's what I wish for."</p>
<p>Kate leaned in and kissed Vicky. She let herself get lost in the kiss because she knew that, as much as they might wish to be together and change their reality, they couldn't. Kate had to go back to New York soon, and she had her job, her dad, and her friends. Vicky couldn't up and move either. She had a job and a life here in Santa Fe. Kate liked the idea of Vicky moving to New York because she wanted to have a life with her. Kate pulled away and said, "Um...does this mean you might...um...consider moving to New York?" Kate was scared even to ask, but she needed to know.</p>
<p>Vicky felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She wanted to tell Kate that New York was her home, that she wanted to go back more than anything, but as long as Cesar Velez was in the picture, she would have to stay put. She could feel tears coming to her eyes, "Kate, I would move to New York in a heartbeat to be with you, but for right now, I have to stay here...I have some personal issues that I have to work out before I can think of moving, but someday..."</p>
<p>Kate pushed aside her own feelings of disappointment and smiled at Vicky, "I can live with someday. As long as you're not opposed to the idea completely and as long as you don't think I'm crazy or something for asking after only knowing each other for two days."</p>
<p>"Honey, I want to move to New York, I want to be with you, you can believe that..." she said with a sweet smile. "And I don't think you're crazy for wanting this...because I want it too. I know this is going to sound corny, but I feel something with you after two days that I've never felt with anyone else before."</p>
<p>Kate smiled; she let herself believe in Vicky's words and feelings and stopped fighting her own. She pulled the blonde closer and rested her forehead on Vicky's chest, taking a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was about to say. She'd never said the words to anyone who wasn't family. Kate pulled away and looked into Vicky's eyes, placing on her cheek as she said in a low but clear voice, "I think I'm in love with you. And I know it's too soon and I know it sounds unbelievable but...I do. And I will wait as long as it takes for you to move to New York...or if you want, I can move here. I want to be with you. I want us to be together because I truly believe that what we have is real and worth the risk. So...I will wait for you. But tonight, I'm going to make us dinner, and we are going to snuggle on the couch and watch a movie and just be together, ok?" Kate stopped then, hoping she hadn't messed up and scared Vicky away with her candid admission.</p>
<p>Vicky was crying now. Kate's words had touched her heart, and she was glad to know that she wasn't the only one who felt this way. She couldn't explain it, but she knew it was there. That's all that mattered to her. She stroked Kate's hair, "Ok...but you need to know that I love you too, Kate. I didn't want to scare you away by saying it because I wouldn't be able to stand it if you walked out of my life, but I do. And no matter what, we're going to find a way, Kate, you have to believe me, ok? Tell me you believe me..."</p>
<p>Kate looked into Vicky's eyes and gently wiped the tears away, "I believe you. We're going to make this work because we both want it, and it was meant to be." Kate kissed her then, letting all the love she felt spill into it.</p>
<p>Vicky wrapped her arms around Kate and kissed her back with all the fervor and longing that she felt in her soul. It was as though she needed to convey her promise to Kate through this kiss. She needed her to know that no matter what, she'd find a way back to her.</p>
<p>Kate finally, reluctantly pulled away from the kiss and ran a hand through Vicky's hair. "Now that we've settled that, why don't you go slip into something more comfortable, and I'll get dinner started, ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky smiled and chuckled, "Ok. Thank you, baby. You make me feel like life is worth living again..." She realized that she was probably revealing more than she should, but it was true. Kate made her feel alive again, and she wanted her to know that. She kissed her one more time and then went to the bedroom to change into her pajamas.</p>
<hr/>
<p>While Vicky was changing, Kate was putting the finishing touches on dinner. She had decided to make fettuccini in a rich Alfredo sauce with grilled chicken breast. She had just put the garlic bread in the oven when she heard music start to play from the living room. She smiled. Vicky would be walking in soon, and Kate glanced at the bottle of wine that sat on the counter. Shed picked a good year, and she hoped that Vicky would like it.</p>
<p>Vicky walked in wearing a silk nightie that fell to just above her knees. It was a rich purple with spaghetti straps, and the neckline dipped low on her chest. She had on a pair of lace underwear underneath and nothing else. She wanted to look beautiful for Kate, and she hoped the brunette would like it. She had put on some light jazz and walked into the kitchen with a smile, "Hey, smells good in here."</p>
<p>Kate turned to look at Vicky, and her mouth fell open. Kate stared at the blonde in the purple nightie, and her mind went blank. "Um...uh..."Kate forced herself to turn away and focus on the stove, though dinner was all but done, it just had to be served onto plates. Kate felt her face grow warm, and she knew she was blushing.</p>
<p>Vicky walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around Kate's waist, "Did I make you nervous?"</p>
<p>Kate took a breath, "Um...no...not exactly."Kate really didn't want to explain the reason for her reaction, so she just stalled, hoping Vicky wouldn't push.</p>
<p>"Oh, something else then... I wonder what it could be..." She ran her hand over Kate's stomach, inching lower and lower until she reached her pants, and then she stopped, "Am I making it worse?"</p>
<p>Kate closed her eyes and leaned back a bit, "No... Oh, God." Kate moved her hand to turn off the stove. She slipped on the knob, and her hand briefly touched the oven's door handle, the heat bringing her back to her senses, "But you're not making it easy for me to finish dinner."</p>
<p>"Mm-hmm," Vicky said, not believing Kate in the least. "I'll let you finish up then. Do you want me to pour the wine?"</p>
<p>Kate exhaled as Vicky moved away. "Um...yeah, that would be great, thanks," she said distractedly. The reason she was reacting this way was because of the fantasy she'd had while shopping at the grocery store earlier. In her mind, she'd envisioned Vicky in a dark purple nightie, something that looked almost identical to what she was wearing now, which would be fine except for the fact that Kate wasn't a big believer in coincidences. Seeing Vicky like this was, to say the least, disconcerting for Kate.</p>
<p>While Kate was finishing up the meal, Vicky took a corkscrew from the drawer and opened the bottle of wine easily. She poured equal amounts into two white wine glasses and walked over to hand one to Kate. She brought the glass up to her nose to take in the scent of the wine and exhaled deeply, "This is an excellent vintage."</p>
<p>Kate took the wine glass from Vicky and took a sip, "I'm glad you like it."The brunette kept her eyes focused on the stove after she set her glass down. She was still trying to get over her little mind-melt over the nightie.</p>
<p>Vicky took a drink as well and then set her glass down. She peeked over Kate's shoulder, "Is it ready? I'm starving."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Yeah, it's ready. Why don't you go sit down, and I'll bring the plates? Maybe you could bring the wine with you?"</p>
<p>"You got it."She picked up both glasses and carried them to the table, setting Kate's down in the chair to her right and the other right in front of her. She sat down and smiled as Kate made her way over. This was exactly what she had always dreamed of when she thought about settling down with someone.</p>
<p>Kate brought the plates over and set them down on the table. Before she sat down, she stepped closer to Vicky and leaned down. She kissed her softly then said, "I'm sorry about before, in the kitchen...when I shut down like that. I promise you that it wasn't anything you did or said; it was my own thing. But I'm past it, and maybe we can kind of forget what happened and move on from here?"Kate hoped Vicky wouldn't hold it against her.</p>
<p>"Kate, if there's something you need to tell me..."Vicky started, unsure of what to make about all of this. She wanted to believe that Kate's issues had nothing to do with her, but then again, what if she was just being nice? Vicky had to clear that from her mind. The last thing she wanted to do was start their relationship being suspicious. If Kate said it wasn't her, then it wasn't.</p>
<p>Kate kneeled next to Vicky's chair. The uncertainty in her eyes tore at Kate's heart, and she decided to come clean. "Vicky, honey, do you remember in the car when I told you I had a little fantasy moment in the grocery store earlier?" When Vicky nodded, Kate cleared her throat, "Um...well...you obviously had a starring role in it, and you were wearing something...um...well, something very similar to what you're wearing now. Same color, same cut, but...shorter than what you're wearing now. When I saw you in that...I...I had a bit of a mini-meltdown. I'm sorry."</p>
<p>Vicky caressed her cheek, "Honey, I don't understand. What's wrong with me wearing something like you pictured in your fantasy?"</p>
<p>Kate leaned into Vicky's hand, "There's nothing wrong with it. I just wasn't expecting it. It was like you had stepped out of my mind, my fantasy, into real life. It threw me, I guess."</p>
<p>"Kate, I'm real, this is real...it's all happening. I know it seems like it couldn't be possible like it's just a dream, but I promise you that you're not going to wake up from this, baby." She leaned down and kissed Kate on the lips, "I love you."</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Vicky, "I love you too, and I know you're real, it was just...unexpected, that's all. Trust me; it's not an unwelcome sight. You look so sexy and beautiful." Kate leaned up and kissed Vicky again.</p>
<p>"I'm glad you think so. I wanted to wear something that would turn you on," Vicky said with a grin.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "Baby, you could wear a plastic garbage bag, and you would still turn me on. It's not the clothes that matter...it's you. You're sexy and beautiful and funny and smart, and that's why I was drawn to you. It's why I'm still here with you. It's why I fell in love with you. You smile at me, and I get turned on. But don't get me wrong...I love this nightie."</p>
<p>Vicky chuckled, "I think you'll love it even more later...when it's on my bedroom floor." She kissed Kate and said, "Come on, have a seat and let's eat. I can't wait anymore."</p>
<p>Kate stood up and moved to her chair. She smiled and lifted her wine glass in a toast, "To us."</p>
<p>Vicky echoed the sentiment, "To us." She sipped her wine and then started on dinner, her eyes lighting up when the flavor burst into her mouth, "Oh my goodness, this is amazing! Promise me you will teach me how to cook like this."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, happy that Vicky liked the meal. "I promise, baby. I would love to teach you how to cook. Maybe one day, when we're in New York, together I can teach you how to make Malukuao."Kate knew it wasn't fair to talk about New York, but it was something she really wanted. She wanted to live with Vicky in New York and teach her how to cook, spending lazy Sunday mornings in bed, Saturday afternoons in the park, weeknights, when she wasn't chasing down perps and leads, snuggling on her couch with Vicky. Kate wanted all of that, and she hoped that one day they would have that together.</p>
<p>"I can hardly wait for that day," Vicky said with a hopeful glint in her eye. She went back to her meal and enjoyed everything about the evening. She used to hate coming home at night to an empty house, cooking dinner just for herself, so this seemed like paradise to her. When she was finished, she looked over at Kate and blushed when she saw that the brunette was still eating. "I guess I was famished."</p>
<p>Kate smiled when she saw Vicky's empty plate. "It's the highest compliment a chef can receive when someone cleans their plate. It means the meal was made right. I'm glad you liked it. There's more if you're still hungry."Kate went back to her food.</p>
<p>"No, no, I'm full, thank you." She got up to clear her plate and then asked, "Do you want more wine?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled and said, "No, thank you. Let me help you."Kate stood up and began to take her plate to the kitchen.</p>
<p>Vicky ran a little water into the sink to soak the plates and then looked to Kate, "We'll do it later. Come on, let's settle on the couch. I've been waiting all day for this part..."</p>
<p>Kate stepped forward and placed her hands on either side of the blonde, trapping her between the sink and her body. Kate smiled as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Vicky's neck. Kate licked and sucked and nipped her way up Vicky's neck to her earlobe. She took the lobe between her lips and let her teeth graze the skin, gently nibbling on it.</p>
<p>"Or we could do this..."Vicky said in a whisper. She placed her hands on either side of Kate's waist and caressed her with fanned fingers. Her leg instinctively moved between Kate's legs while her hands slowly made their way to the hem of Kate's shirt. Vicky pulled it up slowly, exposing the tan skin of Kate's taut waist.</p>
<p>Kate moaned a bit and pressed down a bit on the thigh between her legs. Kate whispered in Vicky's ear, "Why don't we move this to the living room. I would love to lay down with you and snuggle close to you while we watch that movie."</p>
<p>It took all of Kate's will power to say that when what she really wanted was to skip the movie and go right to bed and lose herself in the magic they always found when they were together. But Kate had been looking forward to snuggling with Vicky and watching a movie. Kate was a romantic, and she loved the little things that couples did together that didn't necessarily involve sex.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and took her hand. They walked into the living room, and Vicky said, "Make yourself comfortable; it'll take me like two minutes to get everything going."She went to the entertainment center, turned on the DVD player and TV, and found the movie in one of the drawers.</p>
<p>She slipped the movie into the player and turned on the surround sound before joining Kate on the couch. When the menu popped up, she pressed play on the remote and snuggled up with Kate. "Comfy?" she asked, settling her backside closer to Kate.</p>
<p>Kate smiled and shifted on the couch, bringing Vicky closer to her as she spooned her on the couch. Kate was thankful that Vicky's sofa was deep; it made it much more comfortable to lie down like this. Kate wrapped one arm around Vicky and used the other to prop her head up so she could see the TV and reach Vicky's neck. She leaned down and kissed Vicky's neck. "Mmm, I am now. I love holding you like this."</p>
<p>"I love it when you do. It makes me feel so safe, Kate," Vicky said with a soft voice. Her breathing settled down, and she focused on the screen, but she never forgot the warmth surrounding her and the feel of Kate's heartbeat as it pounded against her back.</p>
<p>Kate pulled Vicky closer and smiled, "I like that I can make you feel safe. I promise you will always be safe with me, and I'll protect you from anything and anyone who tries to harm you."Kate sealed her promise with a kiss on Vicky's neck, hoping the blonde knew that she was completely serious.</p>
<p>"It's the time that we're going to be away from each other that worries me," Vicky said. She was melancholy despite how comfortable and satisfied she felt with Kate because she knew it was fleeting. If she ever got back to New York, it might be 5 or ten years down the road, and she wasn't sure if Kate could wait that long.</p>
<p>Kate heard the sad tone in Vicky's voice, and it tugged at her heart. She leaned closer, ignoring the TV for a moment as she rested her chin on Vicky's shoulder, "I wish we didn't have to be apart, but let's not think about that right now, ok? I just want to hold you and, for tonight at least, forget that I'm going to have to leave soon."Kate rubbed her hand over Vicky's abdomen, tracing small circles on the skin.</p>
<p>"Kate, I don't want to think about you leaving, I really don't, but it's going to happen, you're going to get on a plane and fly away, and it scares me to think that maybe once you're not here, someone else will come into your life that you'll love more and you'll want her instead of me..." she said, her voice shaky.</p>
<p>Kate felt tears in her eyes when Vicky spoke. She decided this was a conversation best had face to face, so she slowly turned Vicky over until she was on her back. Kate stayed on her side and rested her hand on Vicky's cheek, ensuring that she had her full attention before she said, "Vicky, listen to me. I have never loved anyone the way I love you. I had to come almost all the way across the country to find the one woman I could give my heart to, and you're it. I'm yours, Vicky, heart, and soul. Nothing and no one will ever change that...ever. I understand that you have issues to sort out here and that once that happens and you make it out to New York, we'll be together. I can wait for you, Vicky, no matter how long it takes because I love you."Kate finished with a hopeful smile.</p>
<p>Vicky could feel her heartbreaking. Kate had hope, she had faith, and it killed Vicky that she had to lie to her about the real circumstances surrounding her inability to move back to New York. She might never be going home, and she didn't think it was fair to lead Kate to believe that this would happen in a year or two. How could she tell her, though? She loved Kate as much as Kate loved her, and she couldn't hurt her; she just couldn't.</p>
<p>She searched deep inside and somehow found the strength to smile, "I love you too, with everything I have inside of me. It's just going to hurt like hell until I'm back in your arms. But we still have time, and you're right; we shouldn't waste it thinking about it coming to an end. I'm sorry."</p>
<p>Kate smiled down at Vicky and leaned closer to kiss her. She deepened the kiss, enjoying the taste of the wine on Vicky's tongue that mingled perfectly with the blonde's natural essence. Kate pulled back and said, "No apologies, they're not necessary. We're together, here and now, and we'll be together again one day, I know it. So I can wait. Now, let's watch the movie and just relax, ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and reached up to kiss her one last time before turning her attention and her body toward the TV. She watched the movie intently, laughing and aw-ing at all the right moments. She was so relaxed by the wine that she started to drift off towards the film's end. She closed her eyes just to rest, and within moments, she was fast asleep.</p>
<p>Kate enjoyed the movie, but she enjoyed watching Vicky's reactions more. There was something almost childlike in Vicky's enjoyment of the movie. When the end credits rolled, Kate looked down at Vicky and saw she was fast asleep.</p>
<p>Kate didn't want to wake the blonde up, so she carefully lifted herself up and over the back of the sofa onto the floor behind the couch. She gracefully and silently stood up and checked to make sure Vicky was still asleep. Then she quickly and quietly went to Vicky's bedroom and grabbed the comforter off the bed.</p>
<p>She slipped back to the living room, and, with the comforter in one hand, she slipped back in behind Vicky on the couch. She spread the comforter over their bodies and slid her arm around the blonde, pulling her closer as she nuzzled Vicky's neck and inhaled the comforting scent there. Kate closed her eyes and let sleep claim her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>In the middle of the night, the two women were sound asleep when there was a loud pop. Someone's car that was passing on the street outside had backfired, but within an instant, Vicky shot up and got into a defensive crouch on the floor, huddling tight with her hands over her head. "Not again," she said in a panicked voice as she listened carefully for the sound of more gunfire.</p>
<p>Kate was startled out of her sleep by the sudden movement. She sat up and, groggily, reached her hand out to Vicky's shoulder as she asked in a whisper, "Baby? What is it? What's wrong?"</p>
<p>Vicky lifted her head and looked around in the dark, her eyes blurry without her glasses. She uncurled and turned to look back at Kate, her face hot with embarrassment, "Uh, nothing. I fell off the couch, that's all. I think I hit my knee...that's why I said not again...I hurt it really bad the last time I fell out of bed."</p>
<p>Kate sensed that wasn't the whole story, but she decided to let it go. Vicky would tell her when she was ready. For right then, she decided to just be the supportive...she was scared to use the word 'girlfriend,' but that's what she thought of herself as.</p>
<p>Kate moved down to the floor and wrapped her arm around Vicky's shoulders, "Hey, it's ok. As I said, you're safe here with me, baby. I've got you." Kate paused, "Now, which knee did you hit? Maybe I can kiss it and make it better?"Kate smiled, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.</p>
<p>Vicky relaxed and lifted her left knee, "This one."She pouted because she did actually hurt it when she hit the ground and knew she'd have a very lovely purple bruise to show for it.</p>
<p>Kate grinned at Vicky's pout, and she leaned forward and gently kissed Vicky's left knee. She lightly rested her hand on the knee after that and moved up to kiss Vicky. "How's that feel?"</p>
<p>"Much better." Then she realized that they were in the living room, and she asked, "Did I fall asleep during the movie?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she remembered how peaceful Vicky looked when she was sleeping. "Yeah. You looked so peaceful and beautiful asleep, so I didn't want to wake you."</p>
<p>"Did you make it all the way through? Did you like it?" she asked, eager to forget her fright.</p>
<p>"Yes, baby. I saw the whole movie, and I really liked it...although it reminded me of that other movie I loved, The Philadelphia Story. The only difference was the music and the blonde lead."</p>
<p>"It was based on that movie, actually. I love Katharine Hepburn, but she just can't compete with Grace in my eyes," she said with a grin. She was very alert and happy to be talking about something so light. She looked at the clock, and it was 3 am. "Listen, I think I'm going to make some coffee. Do you want some?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Decaf? Because caffeine at this time of night isn't going to help me, babe."She was already wide-awake, and caffeine now would get her so wired that she wouldn't be able to sleep until the following night. She didn't like that feeling.</p>
<p>"I can make decaf for you. I think I'm going to have the regular stuff..." she said and got up off the floor. "Are you hungry at all? I think I could go for a snack or something..."</p>
<p>Kate stood up and pulled Vicky closer. She lowered her head to Vicky's neck and began nibbling on the skin there. She worked her way up to the blonde's ear and whispered, "I'm hungry but not for anything from the kitchen, baby. What do you say we skip the coffee and we feed...other appetites?"</p>
<p>Vicky was pretty wired, even without coffee, but when she stopped to think about it, she realized that what Kate was offering might do her better than making it worse with caffeine and food. She nodded and put her arms around Kate, "I think I might like that more."</p>
<p>Kate smiled then began walking towards Vicky's bedroom. She felt Vicky behind her, and she took a breath, tonight was going to be wonderful. She turned back towards Vicky and began walking backward, holding out a hand to the blonde but always, teasingly, staying just outside her reach, wanting to make Vicky chase her a little.</p>
<p>Vicky kept trying to get Kate's hand, but each time, Kate pulled away just enough to elude her grasp. Vicky ran when she saw the bed behind Kate and gently tackled her down, straddling her with a triumphant smile. "Gotcha," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.</p>
<p>Kate smiled up at Vicky and said, "Well, you have me...so what are you going to do with me?"Kate batted her eyelashes, smiling seductively as she ran her hands up and down Vicky's thighs.</p>
<p>"Things that'll make you scream," Vicky said in a husky voice. She started rocking her hips slowly against Kate's abdomen and dove forward, latching onto the soft skin of Kate's neck and sucking hard enough to leave a mark.</p>
<p>Kate felt herself get wet at Vicky's words, and when she started sucking on her neck, Kate almost lost it. She did manage to hold on to enough sanity to whisper, "Oh god...um...oh man...hey, Dracula, try not to break the skin, ok baby?"</p>
<p>"Never," Vicky said in a whisper. She nibbled Kate's ear and then nuzzled her. She pulled back to look at the mark she left and smiled, "Now you're mine..."</p>
<p>Kate ran her hand up Vicky's back and pulled her closer, "I've been yours, probably from the moment you gave me the hot chocolate that had more whipped cream. And I will be yours for the rest of my life...if you'll have me that long."Kate pulled Vicky down for a kiss.</p>
<p>Vicky could hardly believe her ears when Kate mentioned forever, but she believed it with all her heart. She kissed her deeply, her body grinding against Kate's, hungry for everything she had to offer. It was like the fear, the agony over what she had gone through in New York was gone, and there was only this moment with Kate.</p>
<p>Kate felt a change in Vicky during their kiss. She sensed something had altered for the blonde, and she was worried that her talk of forever was going to scare her away. Kate held on tighter, determined to fix whatever she might've messed up with her confession.</p>
<p>Vicky moaned into Kate's mouth when she felt the brunette coming on stronger. Her body went with the pace that Kate was setting, her breathing growing shallow while her heartbeat started to race. She needed Kate deep inside of her. She needed that closeness more than her next breath.</p>
<p>Kate rolled them over and pinned Vicky to the bed. She leaned up, looking into beautiful blue eyes, and said, a tremor of fear in her voice, "I'm sorry if I scared you with my mention of forever, I would never want to pressure you or scare you away; I just want to be with you. I love you, so please, don't turn away from me, from us just yet, ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky looked up and brushed Kate's hair from her eyes, "I'm not scared, baby. Really, I'm not. I just really need you to make love to me, I need to feel you inside of me."</p>
<p>Kate smiled then, the fist around her heart easing up as she realized she wasn't going to lose Vicky. She leaned closer and whispered, "As you wish."Kate winked, and without further delay, she made Vicky's heated plea a reality...all night long.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When they finished making love, Vicky was curled up next to Kate with her head resting on Kate's chest. She was tickling Kate's stomach with her index finger, and their scent was thick in the air as she slowly started to drift off to sleep. "Babe?"</p>
<p>Kate was being lulled into sleep by the motion of Vicky's finger, but she roused herself enough to ask, "What, honey?"</p>
<p>"I love you so much," she said softly.</p>
<p>Kate smiled; she started running her hand up and down Vicky's arm as she pulled the hand that was tickling her stomach up to her mouth and pressed a kiss to the palm. "I love you too, baby, so much that I can't even find the words to describe it."Kate began kissing each of Vicky's fingers one by one.</p>
<p>Vicky smiled and closed her eyes. She was happy, truly happy with this woman, and the best thing of all was that she could be openly gay with Kate, and it didn't matter. They didn't have to hide. It was the one thing she had always wanted once she came to terms with her sexuality, and now she had it. She could only describe the feeling of freedom she felt as pure joy.</p>
<p>Kate held Vicky close, and she felt her starting to drift off again, which made Kate smile. Being here, holding Vicky in her arms as they drifted off to sleep together, it felt right to her. It felt like it was meant to be like they were destined to meet each other. Kate had never had this with anyone else. Her previous relationships and...dalliances were casual and light. On the rare occasions her companion spent the night, Kate usually left early, preferring to avoid the morning after tension by claiming she'd been called in for work. She'd never been with anyone that made her feel like this; she'd never before wanted to spend the whole night in someone's arms as she did with Vicky. Kate knew this was different, this was real, and her only prayer was that she didn't mess it up and lose Vicky.</p>
<p>Kate whispered, "Goodnight, baby."</p>
<p>Vicky had just enough energy to reply to Kate, "Good night. Sweet dreams." Then she slipped back off to sleep, the sun just minutes from rising into the clear New Mexico sky.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Last Day in Paradise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tiny time jump. The last day of Kate's vacation is here and they must now part ways.  A brief warning about light mentions of a previous abusive relationship so fair warning. Nothing too explicit but there is the potential of triggering. Sorry.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As both women had feared, Kate's time in New Mexico quickly came to a close, and they found themselves sharing their last evening together before Kate had to go back to New York. Vicky was sick to her stomach with the thought that in the morning, she'd have to drop Kate off at the airport, but she was doing her best to enjoy the time they did have left to the fullest. She was in her pajamas, flitting around the kitchen preparing a meal for Kate.</p>
<p>Kate had been doing the majority of the cooking while she'd been there, so Vicky made her promise that this last night, she was in charge of the meal. A friend of hers from the gallery had agreed to teach her how to make an authentic New Mexican meal, and although Vicky's prowess in the kitchen was usually very low, this time, she was handling it like an old pro. She was making enchiladas, posole, and red chili for the main dish, a small salad, and apple empanadas for dessert. Needless to say, the smells from the kitchen were intoxicating.</p>
<p>As per their agreement, Kate was staying out of the kitchen tonight. It wasn't easy, but she had agreed, knowing this was important to Vicky. Kate sat on the couch and listened to the soft music coming from the stereo. The aroma emanating from the kitchen called out to her, begging her to go in the kitchen, but she resisted. This was her last night in New Mexico; her last night with Vicky and Kate wanted it to be perfect. If that meant staying out of the kitchen so Vicky could cook their meal in peace, she would do it.</p>
<p>Kate wondered how she would get on that plane tomorrow and fly away, knowing she was leaving her heart behind. She kept reminding herself that, one day soon, Vicky would be with her in New York. She didn't know when it would happen, but she was confident that it would happen. She just had to be patient.</p>
<p>When Kate couldn't stand being away from Vicky any longer, she stood up and made for the kitchen. She was about halfway there when she stopped in her tracks. She realized that she was dangerously close to breaking her promise, so she rallied her strength and found a compromise. She closed the rest of the distance and leaned against the doorway, content to just watch the woman she had fallen in love with as she moved about the kitchen. In the silence, Kate tried to memorize every detail about Vicky so that she could think back and remember her when she was back home and missing the warmth of the blonde's arms in the night.</p>
<p>Vicky could feel Kate's presence, and she turned around with a grin, "Couldn't stand it anymore, huh?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Nope. Couldn't bear to be away from you. I was in there," she gestured to the living room with one hand, the other resting lightly on her belly, "and I just...I missed you. I had to come look at you. I hope you don't mind being watched."</p>
<p>"No, of course not. You can sit in here and keep me company; all I ask is that you keep your hands to yourself. I'm pampering you tonight, remember?" she said with a smile that lit up her entire face.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Deal." She walked closer and sat on a nearby chair, and just watched Vicky as she cooked.</p>
<p>Vicky was carefully putting the enchiladas together, taking care to smother them just right. She turned back to Kate and said, "A lot of cheese or just a little?"</p>
<p>Kate thought for a moment, "A lot...please." Kate was in the mood to be bad, in more ways than one. She wanted to make the most of their last night together. "Something tells me we'll both be needing our strength tonight, baby."</p>
<p>Vicky giggled and put a lot of cheese on top. She then ladled out posole into two bowls and tossed the salad with a special homemade dressing that Vicky had picked up at a small, family-owned restaurant in town. She looked over her shoulder at Kate and said, "Ok, I am going to need a little help getting all this to the table."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she stood up and crossed the floor to Vicky. She leaned close and kissed the blonde. Kate pulled away and said, still smiling, "As you wish." She shifted then and picked up the two bowls of posole and turned to the table.</p>
<p>Vicky carried the main dishes and set them down before going back to get the salad. A bottle of wine was already on the table, waiting to be poured into two white wine glasses. She sat down with Kate and asked, "Will you do the honors?"</p>
<p>Kate picked up Vicky's hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. Then she smiled and said, "Of course." She picked up the bottle of wine and poured it into the glasses. Kate set the bottle back down on the table before she lifted her wineglass with one hand while the other reclaimed Vicky's free hand. She held the warm hand in hers and looked into Vicky's blue eyes and said, "To us and our love. And to the day when you move to New York and we can be together forever. I love you, Vicky."</p>
<p>Vicky smiled, her eyes suddenly glassy with tears, "I love you too, Kate. I can't wait until our dream comes true." Their glasses met, and then Vicky brought it to her lips, taking a sip. She set it down and looked back at Kate, "I hope you like this."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "If it tastes half as good as it smells, I know I'll love it. Thank you for... for giving me the best two weeks of my life...for loving me." Kate fell silent as she took her first bite of the enchiladas. She gave a tiny moan when the flavors exploded on her tongue. It was really good, and Kate was very impressed.</p>
<p>Vicky watched her, and the look on Kate's face said it all. She had succeeded in cooking something delicious, which made her extremely happy. She wanted to show Kate that she could learn something new because she didn't want the other woman to think that she'd have to do all the cooking when...if they were living together.</p>
<p>Kate opened her eyes and noticed that Vicky wasn't eating. She swallowed her food and said, "Um...this is really good, why aren't you eating? Is something wrong?"</p>
<p>"I'm just...I don't know; I'm watching you, I guess. I wanted this to be perfect, and I guess I'm just savoring this moment of enjoyment."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Well, the food is perfect, the company is perfect, and despite being our last night together, it will continue to be perfect." Kate took Vicky's hand again and rubbed her thumb over her fingers. She looked at their hands, liking how well they fit together, then looked back up at Vicky. "Tonight will be perfect because we're together." Kate brought Vicky's hand to her lips, and she kissed her fingers.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, "I know...even if I have to let you go tomorrow, at least I know you're out there. I'm not sitting here wondering if I'll ever meet someone who would make me happy the way you do. That in itself makes this a bit more bearable." She caressed Kate's chin and then worked on her food, wanting to get to dessert so that she and Kate could go sit together in the living room.</p>
<p>Kate frowned as something occurred to her. Vicky was talking as if they were going to cut off all contact. She knew she couldn't let her go on thinking that. "Vicky, sweetie, you'll have more than just the knowledge that I'm out there. Granted, it's not the best solution, but there's e-mail, texting, phone calls, even webcams. We can talk every day. In fact, we're going to talk every day because I don't even want to think about going more than a day without hearing your voice or seeing your face on a webcam. It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing. Right?"Kate suddenly wondered if that was something Vicky would want, to maintain contact. Kate felt something squeeze her heart at the thought that Vicky might not want to deal with the hassle of all of that.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, but she knew better. The Marshal assigned to her case would never let her stay in contact with Kate, especially once she knew that Kate was from New York. She could maybe sneak in an e-mail here or there if she went to some public cafe, no traceable IP address. But anything after that...it was iffy at best.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, confident that Vicky wouldn't vanish from her life, that they would be able to talk and text and stay in contact. She went back to her meal, taking a sip of wine before taking a bite of her food.</p>
<p>Vicky continued eating in silence; the only sound was her fork scraping against the plate. She finished her salad first, then the posole, but she kept her eyes on the plate. She was deep in thought about how she could sneak more than just e-mails to Kate, how she could call her every once in a while just to hear her voice. She knew she'd come up with something eventually.</p>
<p>After dinner, Kate gathered up the dishes and took them into the kitchen. She filled the sink with warm water and put the plates to soak. She took a breath and a moment to calm her nerves. She didn't know why but she had the feeling like there was something more, something that Vicky wasn't telling her.</p>
<p>It scared Kate to think that she might never hear from Vicky again after she left, and she felt tears well up in her eyes at the thought of losing Vicky forever. Kate took a few deep breaths, trying to control the tears so they wouldn't fall and her eyes wouldn't get red because she didn't want to worry Vicky or make her feel guilty or anything like that.</p>
<p>She was so focused on trying not to cry that she didn't hear Vicky enter the kitchen.</p>
<p>"Hey, leave those. I'll do them tomorrow." She walked up behind her, slipped her arms around her, and whispered, "I have a surprise for you in the living room."</p>
<p>Kate put her hands over Vicky's and leaned back. She was glad her voice was steady when she said, "A surprise? I can't wait. Let's go." Kate made a move to head to the living room, not looking at Vicky, not trusting her eyes not to give her away.</p>
<p>Vicky followed behind her and said, "Sit down and close your eyes..."</p>
<p>Kate sat on the couch and closed her eyes, smiling. She was glad for the moment to close her eyes and get her emotions under control.</p>
<p>Vicky crept over to one of the side tables and opened the drawer, taking a small package wrapped in teal paper from inside. She knelt in front of Kate and took her hand, turning it palm up. She placed the package in her hand and smiled. "Ok, open."</p>
<p>Kate opened her eyes and looked at the box in her hand. She didn't know what to say. "Baby, you didn't have to get me anything. What is it?" Kate took her eyes off the box and looked at Vicky when she asked the question.</p>
<p>Vicky smiled, "Open it."</p>
<p>Kate turned to the box and opened it. The paper fell away to reveal a light blue box. Kate looked at Vicky again then opened the box. Inside was a ring. It looked to be silver, but Kate knew it was probably white gold. There were two hearts in diamonds facing each other, leaving the top of the ring open. Kate's mouth hung open. "Vicky, this is...um...it's very beautiful." Kate wondered what the ring meant but was too scared to ask.</p>
<p>Vicky took the ring from the box and then lifted Kate's right hand. She slipped it on her finger and then looked up into her eyes, "It's a promise ring. I wanted to give it to you as a sign that I'm yours, and someday I will find my way back to you."</p>
<p>This time when the tears came to her eyes, Kate let them fall. She felt the ring on her finger, but all she could think was that Vicky really did want to be with her one day. Kate launched herself at Vicky, and, wrapping her arms around her neck, she kissed the blonde, letting all her emotions, her love, spill into the kiss. Kate felt Vicky fall backward onto the couch, and she shifted to lie above her. Kate began moving her lips down Vicky's neck.</p>
<p>"You...are...so...amazing," Kate said between kisses. She lifted her head from Vicky's neck to look into the blonde's blue eyes before she continued, "I don't know what I ever did to deserve someone like you, to deserve your love, but I am glad I did it. This trip was only supposed to be about the Loretto Chapel and getting away from my job for two weeks but...then I met you and...everything changed. You showed me what love could be, and I know that you and I will be together again in New York. We'll be together and live our lives happy and in love. And I will wait, for as long as it takes for you to come back to me." Kate leaned down and sealed her promise with a kiss.</p>
<p>Vicky took on Kate's weight. She needed to have the brunette as close to her as possible for as long as possible. Her hands ran over Kate's back, tickling in some spots, rubbing in others, just the way that Kate liked. The kiss was sweet and strong, and it made Vicky pulse with desire. She wanted to make love with Kate, but she wanted to do something else before they did that. "Baby, we should go share a hot bath."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Oooh...I like the sound of that." Kate moved to sit up, straddling Vicky's waist and running her hands down from her shoulders, over her breasts, and resting on Vicky's abs. She smiled down at the blonde and ran her tongue slowly over her lips, "Are you ready?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, "You have no idea." She caressed Kate's breasts in return and bucked her just a little, "You have to let me up if we're going to do that, though."</p>
<p>Kate ground herself down onto Vicky's hips and smiled seductively, "Do you really want me to move?"</p>
<p>Vicky bit back a moan, "You don't play fair...but then again, neither do I." She squeezed Kate's ass and looked up into her eyes, "Wouldn't this feel better with us naked in the warm water?"</p>
<p>Kate bit her lip. She let out a whimper when Vicky squeezed her ass, and she leaned down closer to the gorgeous woman beneath her. She ran her tongue up her neck, tasting the salty tang of sweat on her skin, and smiled at the shiver that passed through the blonde. She hummed against Vicky's neck, making sure to vibrate against her skin, "Mmmmm, baby, you taste so good."</p>
<p>Vicky swallowed hard, her juices starting to flow, "I take it we're not moving..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Well...we could move, but that would mean stopping what I'm doing right now." Kate moved her hands under Vicky's shirt and lifted it so she could wrap her lips around Vicky's breast. She teased her nipple with her tongue as one hand reached for the other breast and cupped it, running her thumb over the nipple to tease it to life.</p>
<p>"Y-yes, I realize that...but...wouldn't you, oh God...um, wouldn't you rather be somewhere a bit more...comfortable?"</p>
<p>Kate lifted her head and smiled, "Hmmm... Well, when you put it that way..." Kate moved her mouth to the other breast and licked the nipple and grazed her teeth against it, "I guess we can move to another venue if you really want to." Kate's lips drifted down Vicky's torso, nibbling the skin along the way.</p>
<p>Vicky was growing wet, and she realized that she was quickly losing this battle. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, her legs falling open in anticipation of Kate's attention.</p>
<p>Kate felt a tiny sense of victory when Vicky's legs parted, and she gave in to her. Kate smiled, she liked winning, but she also liked the thought of making Vicky cry out her name in the tub. It was something they hadn't done yet, and Kate suddenly wanted to feel Vicky's wet naked body against hers. She leaned up and looked at Vicky. "On second thought, a bath together sounds really good. Come on." Kate slowly stood up and reached a hand down to Vicky, "Let's get naked and wet, baby."</p>
<p>Vicky opened her eyes and watched Kate in shock. The brunette had given in just when Vicky was ready to surrender. The blonde took Kate's hand and stood, her body weak from desire. She leaned on the brunette and said, "I'm already one of those things..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "Oh yeah? Let's see what we can do about getting you naked." Kate pulled her closer and ran her hands under Vicky's shirt. She began lifting it up and swiftly took it off, smiling at the sight before her. Vicky wasn't wearing a bra, and Kate leaned forward and pressed a kiss between the blonde's pale breasts. She slipped her tongue out and licked the skin, pulling back after a moment to look up at Vicky, "You and me in your bathtub with the warm water surrounding us as we make love...sounds like a great way to make tonight perfect."</p>
<p>Vicky grinned, a little smug, "I'm glad you see it my way..." She took Kate's hand and led her to the bathroom. There were candles already lit, and all that had to be done was fill the tub and get Kate out of her clothes. She went over and turned on the water, dropping a container of fresh rose petals into the tub.</p>
<p>Then she went back and started kissing Kate again while she took off the brunette's pants.</p>
<p>Kate let herself be undressed, enjoying the attention. She closed her eyes as her clothes seemed to melt away. Kate ran her hands over Vicky's waist; she quickly removed the blonde's pants, and before she knew it, they were both naked and pressed together, kissing like neither one of them would ever be able to get enough of the other.</p>
<p>Vicky slowly led Kate to the tub while they kissed and stopped when she felt the footed tub's lip against her leg. She pulled back and then stepped in first, the warm water enveloping both legs up to her knees; she helped Kate in and stared deep into her eyes, "I need you so much." Her hand ran down over Kate's body, from her shoulder, over her breast, down her stomach, and then between the brunette's legs. She was already warm, and Vicky couldn't hold back any longer. She needed to be inside of her, making her feel loved and wanted.</p>
<p>Kate whimpered at the blonde's touch and whispered, "You have me. Forever." Kate surrendered to Vicky's touch and felt her knees buckle. They sank into the water, smiling.</p>
<p>They made love there in the warm water and then took a shower together before retiring to Vicky's bedroom and falling asleep holding each other tight.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The following morning, Kate woke up with Vicky's arms around her, her body pressed close behind her, and a feeling of dread in her belly. That afternoon, Kate was going to be getting on a plane and flying back to New York. She would have to leave Vicky behind and fly away from her, and Kate didn't know if she was strong enough to do that. She didn't want to wake up tomorrow without the blonde's arms around her, but she knew that she didn't have much of a choice.</p>
<p>The real world was calling, her time in paradise with the woman she had fallen in love with was over, and now she had to go back to her life, back to the precinct, the murder cases, the investigations...and the lonely nights. They would be worse now that she knew exactly what and who she was missing.</p>
<p>Kate closed her eyes and snuggled closer to Vicky, wanting to block out the truth for a little while longer, to ignore the fact that this was her last morning with her lover.</p>
<p>Vicky was in the middle of a dream when she felt Kate move, and she opened her eyes just a little. "Babe, are you ok?"</p>
<p>Kate sighed and whispered, "Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to sleep." She didn't want to burden Vicky with her depression.</p>
<p>Vicky rubbed Kate's tummy, "You don't sound fine. Talk to me."</p>
<p>Kate closed her eyes, "It's nothing." Kate put her hand over Vicky's and traced small circles on her skin.</p>
<p>"You're thinking about leaving..." Vicky said with a deep sigh. She had thought about it all night until she literally couldn't stay awake anymore. Now it was Kate's turn, and it hurt Vicky to think that her girlfriend was in pain.</p>
<p>Kate sighed; she kept her back to Vicky and said, "Yeah...I am. Can't help it." Kate felt tears in her eyes, and she decided to let them fall. She didn't have the strength to hold them back anymore.</p>
<p>Vicky could hear Kate's quiet sob, and it proved too much for her. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed on the bare skin of Kate's back. "I don't want you to go, Kate..."</p>
<p>Kate felt the tears falling on her back, and she finally couldn't take it anymore and turned to face Vicky. She looked into her eyes and said, "I don't want to leave. I wish I could stay here with you, just quit my job and stay here and build a life with you but...I can't. Vicky, I love you, and I want to spend my life with you, but I can't just abandon my life in New York. It's killing me to think about going back to what my life was like before you. It was lonely then, but I could manage. Now, after knowing how great it can be with you, it's going to be so much worse." Kate stopped talking as the tears became too much, and she buried her face against Vicky's neck, crying for them and what they should have but couldn't yet.</p>
<p>Vicky cradled her, stroking her back, but her own tears were making it hard for her to stay still. She needed Kate, and she didn't like the idea of going back to this life without her either. She couldn't bear the idea of coming home to an empty house, falling asleep alone, cooking for one. It hurt her heart so much that she thought it was going to break in two. She lifted Kate's chin, and through the tears, she kissed her deeply, her need so great.</p>
<p>Kate gave herself over to the kiss. Needing to show Vicky that she loved her. Kate ran her hands gently over Vicky's skin, tracing the path from her thigh up over her hip to her ribcage, stopping only when she reached a firm breast, and she cupped it. Kate shifted until Vicky was on her back, and she was hovering above her. Kate lifted her head and smiled through her tears. She thumbed the nipple in her hand and said, "You and me, we're forever. No matter how far apart we are, we're forever. This is real between us, and I know, I know that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together. We just have to get past this little obstacle. Once you sort out what you need to here and make the move to New York, we will be together. Until then, just know that I love you, and I will wait as long as I have to." Kate then leaned down and began kissing Vicky's neck.</p>
<p>"I love you too," Vicky said, her hands raking through Kate's hair. She knew that whatever obstacles were in their way, their love was stronger. There wasn't an ounce of doubt about that anymore, and it gave her the confidence that someday she would get back to her, Witness Protection be damned. For now, she wanted to just make the most of the time they had before she had to drive her to Albuquerque. She wanted to memorize everything about Kate that she hadn't already committed to memory so that when she was alone, she could call it back with total clarity.</p>
<p>Before Kate could really get lost in Vicky, her cell phone rang. The ring tone was familiar, and she sighed as she stopped and placed her forehead on Vicky's left shoulder. "Dammit," she whispered. She lifted herself and said, "I'm sorry, baby, but I have to take this." Kate kissed Vicky lightly before leaving the bed and went over to the dresser where her cell phone was charging. Sighing, she picked up the phone and hit the green button, "Hello Lanie...actually you are...no comment...no... Why'd you call Lanie...?" Kate sighed and brought her free hand up and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Yeah...no yeah I got it...yeah thanks for the heads up...ok...yeah um...if I remember right, it's 10:30 pm... yeah...thanks again, Lanie. Ok, I'll see you tonight...bye." Kate ended the call, and she put the phone back down. She turned to face Vicky with a wry grin. "Sorry about that."</p>
<p>"Something important?" she asked, turning onto her side. She was curious to know who was on the phone, but she also didn't want to pry. If Kate wanted to tell her, she'd tell her.</p>
<p>Kate looked down, "Um...kind of. That was Lanie. She was calling to tell me she would be picking me up from the airport tonight." Kate didn't know how to tell Vicky that her best friend was also calling to tell her that she was on the prosecution's witness list for one of her closed cases, and she was expected in court the day after tomorrow. Kate hated testifying; she hated courtrooms, she especially hated lawyers and their readiness to accept plea deals that let murderers walk free after only a few years in jail rather than taking them to court so that they would get the life sentences they deserved. Vicky didn't know she was a cop, and Kate wanted to keep it that way.</p>
<p>"Oh, I see," Vicky replied. She had no reason to think it was anything other than a reminder call, so she just dropped it. "Do you want to come back to bed?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, letting go of the reminder about court, and walked over to the bed. She held her hand out and said, "Actually, I was hoping we could take a shower together, and then I could make us some Malukuao for breakfast. As much as I would love to spend my last few hours here with you in bed, I think it might be easier on both of us if we did some normal stuff, you know?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, "Yeah, otherwise we might not want to get up, and you'd miss your flight...oh wait, that actually sounds like a good idea..." She grinned at the brunette like a little kid hoping to get her way, but she knew better. She chuckled sadly, "Just kidding." She tossed back the covers and got up, walking over to Kate to kiss her before taking her hand, "Come on."</p>
<p>Kate grinned as she followed Vicky. She was really tempted to give in to Vicky's suggestion, but she knew that if she did, it would be even harder to say goodbye to her later. Kate pulled Vicky back after turning on the shower and wrapped her hands around the blonde's naked body. She kissed her neck and said, "I love you. And I love watching you move, especially when you're naked. You're so sexy and beautiful." Kate lifted her right hand and quickly found the small bit of raised flesh near Vicky's collarbone. That scar was the only blemish on otherwise perfect skin, but even that tiny imperfection couldn't detract from the blonde's beauty. "And not even this can change that."Kate slowly turned Vicky around and lowered her head to the mark. She lightly ran her tongue over the scar and then kissed it.</p>
<p>Vicky closed her eyes. She hated that scar and hated what it represented, but she mostly hated lying to Kate about it. She wanted to tell her, wanted to ask her to stop, to stop touching it, but she couldn't. Instead, she lifted Kate's chin and said, "Kiss me..."</p>
<p>Kate lifted her head and smiled as she leaned closer and kissed Vicky's lips. She let herself get lost in the kiss, her hands resting lightly on the small of Vicky's back, just above the swell of her ass.</p>
<p>Vicky lightly scratched her nails over Kate's back as they kissed. She pressed her breasts against Kate's and rubbed lightly, loving the feel of Kate's fuller breasts against hers.</p>
<p>Kate savored the contact of skin on skin for a few more seconds before she pulled away. "Baby, the water's going to get cold." Kate tugged Vicky towards the shower. She stepped in and waited for Vicky to join her. The water was just right, not too hot but just hot enough to cause steam to fill the room. Kate pulled Vicky closer and began to kiss and nibble her neck while her hands ran down her sides and caressed her thighs.</p>
<p>"Kate...please, make love to me one more time...please," Vicky begged. Her voice was deep and throaty, and her body was on fire, aching for Kate's amazing touch.</p>
<p>Kate lifted her head and let loose a feral smile, "Oh, don't worry, baby, I fully intend to make you scream for me at least two more times. But since I've always wanted to make love under a waterfall, and there are no falls around here, the shower will have to do. So just relax and let me show you how much I love you." With that, Kate maneuvered the both of them under the stream of water and lowered herself to her knees. She grinned up at Vicky as her hands slid up pale, silky thighs, and she gently parted Vicky's legs. Kate leaned forward and reached her tongue out to taste her girlfriend.</p>
<p>Vicky let out a long, deep moan, her lips curling into a smile while the water cascaded down her face and breasts. She leaned back against the wall, lifting one leg to rest on the shower's ledge. That gave Kate better access to her core, which was dripping with her arousal. "Oh baby, yes, more..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled when Vicky moved and shifted a bit to get a little more comfortable. Kate leaned closer and higher, and, with her hands holding Vicky's thighs, she wrapped her lips around Vicky's clit and sucked on it. Kate let out her own moan when she felt Vicky's thighs trembling beneath her hands, and she felt her own wetness grow.</p>
<p>Vicky scratched at Kate's scalp as her hips started to rock back and forth. Her clit was so stiff, and it was pulsing steadily while Kate's tongue worked it. Kate slid her right hand down Vicky's thigh and then swept it up the inside of her leg. She began to stroke Vicky's pussy, gathering the wetness there that had nothing to do with the water raining down on them, and she grinned at the knowledge that she caused it. Kate flicked Vicky's clit with her tongue, lightening up on the suction as she slowly slid two fingers into Vicky's core, pausing a moment to let the blonde adjust to the penetration. Kate began a slow in and out motion, curling her fingers as she pushed in.</p>
<p>"Kate!" Vicky exclaimed when she felt the brunette enter her. The muscles around Kate's fingers tightened, and her hips rocked harder now. She brought her hands up and cupped her own breasts, kneading the soft flesh in time with Kate's strokes. She wanted to touch the brunette so badly, but her turn would come soon, especially if Kate kept things up the way she was going.</p>
<p>Kate picked up her pace when she heard her name fall from Vicky's lips. When she looked up and saw the blonde's hands on her breasts, she grew even wetter, and her desire doubled. Kate slid her left hand to the back of Vicky's thigh and up to her ass. Kate used her new grip to pull Vicky closer to her, unable to get enough of Vicky.</p>
<p>Vicky was already weak in the knees, but when Kate pulled her forward, and her fingers went deeper, she knew that she was going to come hard and fast. It was like Kate knew exactly how to read her and deliver just what she needed. Her pussy was quivering as each stroke brought her closer and closer until she finally exploded. She screamed out Kate's name and moaned, shaking from head to toe. The waves washed over her for several moments, but when it all died down, and she could speak again, she said, "I love you."</p>
<p>Kate felt Vicky come undone, and she loved the sensation of it. She kept her fingers inside of her as Vicky rode out her orgasm, and she gently brought her back to reality. She looked up when Vicky finally spoke and smiled, her lips and chin coated with the blonde's juices, and she licked them up quickly before she smiled and said, "I love you too, baby, so much." Kate slowly pulled her fingers out, and she brought them to her lips. She kept eye contact with Vicky as she licked her fingers clean, making sure to keep them out of the shower's spray.</p>
<p>Vicky could feel herself shaking, and the sight of Kate licking her fingers made her pulse again hard. A moan escaped her lips, and her normally pale skin was a pink hue. "I need you, now..." She traded places with Kate and pushed her backward until she was up against the shower wall. Without warning, her hand slipped between Kate's legs, and she kissed her deep and hard as she started to stroke her.</p>
<p>The sudden reversal of positions coupled with Vicky's actions made Kate's head spin. She knew she was wet and ready, and it wouldn't take much at this point to make her come. Kate closed her eyes and surrendered to the kiss and to Vicky's hand.</p>
<p>Vicky massaged, tugged, and tickled Kate's clit while her tongue caressed Kate's, inviting the brunette into her mouth.</p>
<p>Kate slid her leg up and rested it on the edge of the tub, giving Vicky more access as she slid her tongue against Vicky's, losing herself in the kiss. Vicky's fingers were quickly getting coated, and she figured Kate was ready to have her inside. She moved between Kate's pussy lips and found her entrance easily. She slipped two fingers in and started pumping in and out with ease.</p>
<p>Kate gasped at the sensation of Vicky's fingers inside of her, and she began to move her hips in time with Vicky's thrusts. Kate felt her orgasm building rapidly, and she gripped Vicky's shoulders to brace herself as she started to lose control. A few more thrusts and Kate broke their kiss to rest her head on Vicky's shoulder. She was gasping into Vicky's ear, the blonde's name coming out in fast bursts. When her orgasm finally hit her, Kate couldn't stop herself from biting down on Vicky's shoulder.</p>
<p>Vicky grunted when she felt Kate's teeth on her skin and slowed her fingers, drawing out Kate's orgasm for many more seconds until the muscles stopped pulsing.</p>
<p>Kate slowly came back down from her orgasm, and she lifted her mouth from Vicky's shoulder. She looked at the indentation of her teeth against the light skin, and she started to feel sick, unable to believe she had done that. Kate swallowed hard and turned her head away from the sight. She lifted her hand and rested it on Vicky's shoulder as she looked into the blonde's eyes, her voice thready and a little weak, but also sad and regretful, "I'm so sorry baby, I...I would never hurt you...I don't know what happened." Kate was close to tears by this point.</p>
<p>Vicky brought Kate close and held her as the water stung the bite. "It's ok; you didn't know what you were doing..." She had never known Kate to be violent, so she realized that it must've been the loss of her senses during her orgasm that led her to do it.</p>
<p>Kate shook her head, "No, no, it's not ok. I hurt you, I...I almost made you bleed...I'm sorry, baby." Kate couldn't look at the mark again, and she was barely hanging on to her own control. Vicky was being too nice about it. Kate flashed back to Amber, the first woman she was sexually involved with before she became a cop, and she remembered the pain she endured in that relationship. Her first girlfriend had a mean streak and, well...biting was the nicest thing she had done to Kate. Luckily, Kate's best friend Lanie had seen the bruises, and she had helped Kate get away from Amber.</p>
<p>Kate had vowed to never be in a violent relationship again, regardless of who was dishing out the pain. Kate pulled away from Vicky and stepped out of the shower. She needed some space, so she left the bathroom and sat on the corner of the bed, wrapping her arms around her midsection as if she was trying to hold in the pain. Kate felt the tears well up, and they fell silently and rapidly. She let herself cry and began rocking back and forth as the memories and the recriminations flooded her mind.</p>
<p>Vicky came running into the room, a towel wrapped around her and a fresh one in her hand for Kate. She approached the brunette slowly and spoke in a quiet, soothing voice, "Kate?" She wrapped the towel around her carefully, "You must be cold. Are you ok?"</p>
<p>Vicky's voice cut through the fog that had invaded Kate's mind, and she slowly looked up at her lover. The blue eyes, the concern in them, pushed through the memories and the fear she was experiencing, and Kate whispered, "Vicky?" Kate finally noticed where she was, and she pulled the towel closer around her. She broke free from her daze and managed to smile up at Vicky, "Um...yeah, I'm ok now. Sorry about before. Are you all right? Your shoulder..." Kate's voice drifted off, not able to say what she had done to her girlfriend.</p>
<p>"It's ok. It's just a little mark, see?" She showed her shoulder to Kate, and there was only a crescent-shaped red mark that would fade in a couple of days. She knelt down and touched Kate's knee, "What happened in there, Kate? Why did you run out like that?"</p>
<p>Kate shook her head as she stared at the mark. It wasn't as bad now as it was before; it looked harmless now. Kate slowly lifted her hand up and brought it up to Vicky's shoulder, but before she could make contact, she stopped herself; her fingers were less than an inch from the mark. She hovered over the mark, and she noticed her hand was shaking. Kate pulled her hand back and rested it on her own knee. "I...I can't believe I did that. That's...that's not...I'm sorry, baby." Kate couldn't wrap her mind around what she had done. It was unreal to her.</p>
<p>"You were coming, Kate. No one thinks clearly when they're having an orgasm. I know you didn't mean it," Vicky said and then sat down next to Kate. "Why is this bothering you so much?"</p>
<p>Kate took a breath and just said, "Amber." She stood up and adjusted the towel to cover herself better before she walked to the dresser and rested her hands on the top of it, her fingers tracing the patterns in the wood. She knew she would have to tell Vicky about Amber in order to explain why she had freaked out, but she didn't know if she was strong enough. Kate's mind brought up an image of the bite mark then, and she admitted that strong enough or not, she didn't have a choice now.</p>
<p>"Who's Amber?" Vicky asked, watching Kate carefully from her place on the bed.</p>
<p>Kate took a deep breath. She had anticipated the question, and now she had to answer it. She spoke, low but steady, "She was...my first girlfriend. We met during college before I knew who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. She was the first girl I'd ever liked...as more than just a friend and I...I got lost in the relationship. She was nice, sweet and kind...at first, but then, after a few weeks, she changed. She started becoming angrier, and she started drinking, and she...she was violent sometimes. She...did things...to me and I...let her." Kate paused to take a breath as the old, familiar feelings began rising up again. Feelings she'd buried a long time ago but had never really resolved. Kate's head lowered, she stared at a line of grain in the wood and let her mind travel back to her time with Amber. "She always used to tell me it was my fault. That I made her act like that...she convinced me that I was nothing. She would hit me, yell at me over the littlest things, and she bit me...a lot, and almost always during sex. She left bite marks, breaking the skin more often than not, while she came in my hand." Kate stopped talking then as she realized she'd done to Vicky what Amber had done to her. Kate felt the bile rise again, and this time she didn't fight it. She ran to the toilet and emptied her stomach of the remains of last night's dinner.'</p>
<p>Vicky ran to the bathroom, and when she found Kate kneeling, she went over and rubbed her back, "It's ok, baby. I'm here; I'm not going to leave you." She didn't know what to do to make things better for Kate, so she just tried her best to comfort her.</p>
<p>When Kate had nothing left to throw up, she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes as she caught her breath. She looked at Vicky and saw the concern in her eyes, feeling even more guilt. Here she had hurt the blonde, marked her in a way that wasn't sensual but violent, and she was sitting there, comforting her as she threw up. Kate didn't know why Vicky hadn't run away yet, but she was glad she hadn't. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to lose control like that...or like I did in the shower. I never meant to hurt you, Vicky." Kate closed her eyes.</p>
<p>"Honey, I told you, I know that. You would never knowingly hurt me, and I know that you feel bad for doing it, but you really don't have to. I'm going to be just fine, baby, ok?" She smiled and stroked Kate's hair.</p>
<p>Vicky's gentle touch and her words broke through the final wall, and Kate nodded, feeling herself letting go of her fear. She would always have issues about this, but she let it go for now. When she got back to New York, and she was with Lanie telling her about her vacation, and Vicky, her best friend would work her magic, and she would finish putting the pieces back together. She would remind her that Amber would never hurt her again and Kate would be fine again. Right now, she needed to be in Vicky's arms. Kate reached out and pulled Vicky closer and hugged her, sighing, "Thank you."</p>
<p>Vicky held her close and rubbed her back, "You don't have to thank me, Kate. I love you, and one little accident isn't going to change that. You are not a violent person, and I know that in my heart, and if you had known, you wouldn't have done it."</p>
<p>Kate rested her head on the unmarked shoulder and let herself relax into Vicky's touch. She mumbled, "I love you, "over and over again, like a mantra.</p>
<p>Vicky could tell that this had shaken Kate to the core, but she meant what she said: it didn't change anything. She loved her, and she'd help her through this no matter what it took. "That's right, baby. I love you too, so much."</p>
<p>Kate opened her mouth to say something when her cell phone beeped a text. Kate jumped a little at the sound. She hadn't been expecting it. Kate looked into Vicky's eyes, and she smiled, "I don't deserve you...but I'm glad I have you." Kate leaned forward and kissed Vicky lightly.</p>
<p>"You need to give yourself more credit, baby," she said with a genuine smile and then helped Kate to her feet. "Do you want to check your phone?"</p>
<p>Kate nodded as she stood, "Yeah, I think I should; it might be important." Kate walked over to her cell phone and picked it up. She checked the text message and frowned; it was an automatic alert from the airline telling her that her flight was on time and scheduled to depart at 3 pm. Kate checked the clock on her phone and saw that it was 11 o'clock. She turned to Vicky and held up the phone as she said, "The airport, an alert about my flight." Kate held out her free hand and said, "Come here."</p>
<p>Vicky went to her and took her hand, her blue eyes clouded with tears.</p>
<p>Kate pulled her close and wrapped her arms around her waist. She touched her forehead to Vicky's and smiled before pulling back to look at the blonde, "We have about three hours until I have to be at the airport. How about we go out for breakfast and take a walk in the sunshine?" Kate needed to get out and get some air before she got on that plane, or else she'd end up taking the negative feelings that arose from the bite with her on the plane, and she didn't want that.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, "We can do that. Come on, let's go get dressed." She led Kate back into the other room and helped her dress, knowing that the brunette needed a little looking after, given the morning's events. Once they were ready, Vicky grabbed her keys and walked out of the house with Kate, opening the door of the car for her.</p>
<p>Kate stepped into Vicky's car and settled back into the seat. She fastened her seat belt and waited as Vicky walked around to the other side. Kate smiled at Vicky, determined to keep the mood light and upbeat. "So, where are we going for breakfast?"</p>
<p>"I was thinking we could drive to Albuquerque and get something there if you don't mind waiting 45 minutes..." Vicky said and started the car.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, thankful they had thought to load her luggage into the trunk yesterday, "That sounds fine to me." Kate reached over and held Vicky's hand.</p>
<p>Vicky squeezed her hand and then pulled out of the garage and onto the street. She headed in the direction of the interstate on-ramp and made the 45-minute drive to Albuquerque. When they got into the city, Vicky pulled off onto a side street and found a little place that she liked to go for breakfast. She pulled into the lot, turned off the car, and then got out. She walked around to open Kate's door and smiled, "I hope you like this place; they have the best breakfast in the whole city."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she got out of the car, keeping hold of Vicky's hand. She loved being able to be open with Vicky, not having to hide the way she usually did back home. As she sat down in the booth that Vicky led her to, she smiled and decided right then that when Vicky moved to New York and they were finally together; she wasn't going to hide it, at least not from her friends, Lanie, Ryan, and Esposito.</p>
<p>Kate picked up the menu and skimmed it, quickly picking what she wanted, then she slipped out of the ballet flats she was wearing, and she slid her foot slowly up Vicky's leg, thankful the blonde had chosen to wear a skirt today. Kate kept her eyes glued to the menu, not really reading it as she let her foot graze Vicky's leg.</p>
<p>Vicky peeked over the menu and raised an eyebrow, "Frisky?"</p>
<p>Kate called forth all her training as a cop and her poker face, and she glanced up at Vicky, and with a blank face, she asked, "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"Are you telling me that's not your foot creeping up my leg? Cause if it isn't, we might have to make a call to the health department..."</p>
<p>Kate raised her eyebrows and leaned down, glancing under the table where she saw her foot touching Vicky's leg. Keeping up the act, she said, "Huh, look at that...I guess it is my foot." Kate sat up again and looked at Vicky, "Do you want me to move it?"</p>
<p>Vicky shook her head, "No, well, unless you plan to move it higher..."</p>
<p>Kate looked around the crowded restaurant and grinned, "Well, I would if we weren't in such a public place. I mean, there's a difference between playful fun and lewd public behavior, right?" Kate's voice was half serious, half playful because she really wanted to move her foot higher. She had a vision of Vicky sitting there fighting her arousal as Kate's toes teased her and brought her to orgasm in a public place, but as a cop, she knew that it wasn't worth the trouble they could get into if they were noticed and arrested. So she slowly lowered her foot, resting her toes on top of Vicky's toes.</p>
<p>Vicky grinned, "Chicken." Then she went back to reading the menu; though she already knew what she was going to order, she just wanted to tease Kate a little.</p>
<p>Kate had a brief 'Marty McFly' moment but let it pass. She grinned, "That's not going to work, baby. I am not about to do something that could get me arrested and make me miss my flight, not to mention the embarrassment of the arrest, just because you call me chicken." Kate grinned as she looked up.</p>
<p>Vicky just chuckled to herself and then set down the menu. "Somehow, I think it'd be worth it. Besides, there are plenty of loopholes to get around it."</p>
<p>Kate's eyes glowed with something almost devilish as she said, "Trust me, there aren't any loopholes for what I would do to you if there were a few less people in this restaurant." Kate was picturing being under the table with Vicky's legs spread and her panties around her ankles as she buried her face in Vicky's folds and used her tongue to make the blonde come.</p>
<p>"Ooh, that sounds dangerous and a little kinky. Better keep things on the up and up in that case," Vicky said with a grin.</p>
<p>Kate just nodded and went back to her menu. The waitress came over then to take their drink orders. Both women ordered coffee and water. The waitress nodded and within a couple of minutes returned. She set down two cups and two glasses of water and poured the coffee for Kate and Alex.</p>
<p>"Do you need a little more time to decide?" she asked politely.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and the young woman returned to her work.</p>
<p>Kate was about to say something when a text came through her cell. She checked it and saw it was from Lanie:</p>
<p>
  <i>[Can't wait to see u girl! Missed u! Have a safe flight &amp; I'll see u at Kennedy tonight!]</i>
</p>
<p>Kate just grinned and put the phone away, deciding to reply later.</p>
<p>"Lanie?" Vicky asked and set down her menu.</p>
<p>Kate looked at Vicky, "Um...yeah."</p>
<p>Vicky chuckled, "She's like a big sister making sure you're doing ok...I hope she likes me when she meets me."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Yeah she kind of is." Kate looked out the window for a moment then turned to Vicky, "And I know she'll love you."</p>
<p>"You sure? She's not going to make me answer 20 questions or submit DNA or run a background check, right?"</p>
<p>Kate chuckled, "She might. But I won't let her. Don't worry baby, she'll love you because I love you and you make me happy." Kate knew that Lanie would be cautious until Vicky proved herself to the overprotective woman, but she was confident that Vicky would pass inspection.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and then the waitress came back to take their orders. Once she had them down, she disappeared again. "I was thinking that maybe we could go to the park and walk before we go to the airport. You mentioned that you wanted to be out in the sunshine."</p>
<p>Kate grinned as she leaned forward on the table, "I'd like that. Thank you."</p>
<p>"There's a place near here, very quiet, very green..." She sipped her water and looked at Kate with sad eyes, "Seems like a dream, doesn't it?"</p>
<p>Kate looked at Vicky then and saw the sadness in her eyes. She felt it too but knew there wasn't a way around it. "In some ways it does. I never expected to meet someone on this trip; I never expected to fall in love. This has been the best two weeks of my adult life and now I have to go home...alone. But I know this is real. I know we're meant to be so I know that I can wait for you." Kate reached over and grabbed Vicky's hand, lightly brushing her thumb over the blonde's knuckles. "I have no regrets about these two weeks... Well, that's not true. I do regret what happened this morning in the shower when I..." Kate broke off not able to verbalize what she'd done. "But other than that, no regrets. I just wish I didn't have to leave you."</p>
<p>"Same here, Kate. But it won't be long before we're together. I don't know why, but I feel it in my heart. I know that you're the one for me and that gives me hope."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "We're going to be together Vicky and once we are, nothing is going separate us again." Kate brought Vicky's hand closer and she kissed it.</p>
<p>A few minutes later the waitress brought their food and Vicky smiled, "Mmm, this looks so good." She picked up her fork and started eating and though it was good, it was nothing compared to Kate's breakfast.</p>
<p>Kate looked at her short stack of chocolate chip pancakes topped with whipped cream and sliced strawberries and she smiled. She took a bite and almost moaned at the way the flavors mixed on her tongue.</p>
<p>Kate looked up at Vicky and got an idea. She speared a strawberry with her fork and made sure to dip it into the chocolate sauce she'd asked for on the side and then scooped up some whipped cream and held it out in front of the blonde. "Want to have a taste, baby?"</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and opened her mouth. It looked great on the fork, but she was sure that it would taste even better.</p>
<p>Kate watched as Vicky's lips closed around the fork and she found herself wishing they were alone...Kate was getting jealous of a fork! Kate pulled the fork back, watching almost mesmerized as it slid out of Vicky's mouth, those talented lips sliding against the metal. Kate swallowed hard, forcing her sudden arousal down.</p>
<p>Vicky closed her eyes and moaned. Kate was right: it did taste amazing. The flavors blended and she swallowed it down. She wished that they were back at her house sharing this, preferably naked, with a glass of champagne.</p>
<p>Kate focused on her food. Vicky's little moan was threatening to send her under the table and public lewdness charges be damned. "I wish I'd gotten what you did. Do you want to try mine?"</p>
<p>Kate looked at Vicky's meal and she smiled as she leaned forward, "That looks really yummy." Kate opened her mouth, waiting for Vicky to give her a scooped a little of everything, egg, hash browns, red chili, and cheese, onto the fork and carefully fed it to Kate, grinning. She pulled the fork away slowly and lifted an eyebrow, "Good?"</p>
<p>Kate swallowed the food and smiled, "It's very good, but the chili is a bit much for breakfast, for me anyway. I think I'll stick with my pancakes, but thank you for the taste."</p>
<p>"You're welcome," she said and took another bite. When she swallowed, she continued, "You get used to it when you live here. I wasn't a big fan when I first moved, but now, I can't get enough."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that and nodded, "Yeah that makes sense. I wish I could've stayed here long enough to learn to like it too."</p>
<p>"I'll start making it more often when we have our place together," she said, her eyes twinkling with the idea.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "I like the sound of that." She liked hearing that she wasn't the only one having mini fantasies about her and Vicky living together in New York, happy and in love.</p>
<p>"Would you be opposed to moving to Chelsea when we get our place?"</p>
<p>Kate leaned back and said with a smile, "Baby, I'd live anywhere if it meant I was with you." She knew that Chelsea might mean a bit of a commute to the precinct, but it would be worth it if she had Vicky with her.</p>
<p>Vicky smiled. Though she had always lived on the Upper East Side, she'd longed to move to Chelsea someday and buy a cute little loft. It was a very gay-friendly area and she felt it would be perfect for her and Kate.</p>
<p>Kate enjoyed hearing Vicky making plans. She liked knowing that Vicky wanted this too, but it was more than that. Over the past two weeks, whenever Kate mentioned them living together in New York and that she'd wait as long as she had to, Vicky would either change the subject or start almost warning her that it would be a long time before she could move to New York. It gave Kate the impression that Vicky didn't really want to be with her after she left. But now, hearing Vicky making plans, it gave Kate hope.</p>
<p>Vicky finished up her meal and checked her watch to make sure they still had plenty of time for their walk. When the waitress brought the check, she snatched it up before Kate could get to it and handed the girl the money to cover the bill, plus the tip.</p>
<p>Kate grinned at Vicky's actions, "You know, I would've taken care of that."</p>
<p>"Yes, but you've practically been cooking every meal for the last two weeks. I figure I should pitch in at least a little..." she said, returning the grin.</p>
<p>Kate chuckled, "Well I love cooking, and cooking for you is even better because you're easy to please." Kate reached out and took Vicky's hand in hers, "It's going to be hard to go back to cooking for one again." Kate decided she didn't need to mention that she would probably revert to her usual habit of take-out.</p>
<p>She loved to cook but between her job and her loathing of cooking for just herself, she kept the take-out restaurants near her apartment in business.</p>
<p>"Tell me about it. I won't even bring up the fact that I'm not a very good cook, so that makes it even worse," she chuckled, though Kate could probably tell how sad she was.</p>
<p>Kate realized a change in topic was needed so she said, "Hey, come on. We have enough time for that walk so let's get out of here ok?" Kate hoped that getting into the fresh air and being able to walk together might help beat back the sadness.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and got up from her seat, walking out with Kate to the car so that they could head to the park. The blonde got back on the freeway and took an exit about a mile down the road to a little side street that led to a huge park near the downtown museums. She pulled into a parking space and got out of the car with Kate.</p>
<p>Kate stepped out of the car and looked around, smiling. The park seemed like the perfect place to just spend time with Vicky. They could forget about her leaving and just enjoy being together. Kate held out her hand to Vicky, wanting to hold her hand as they walked around, and grinned, "Come here."</p>
<p>Vicky took her hand and willingly went closer to Kate. Her only thought was to be as close to Kate for as long as possible before they had to leave for the airport. The sun was shining brightly still, not a cloud in the sky, and the birds were chirping their songs while the two walked beneath the trees. It seemed odd that the day could be so nice when it was going to end up being so sad.</p>
<p>Kate saw the trees on their right and she had an idea. She looked around to make sure they were alone and then she moved to her right and pulled Vicky along with her. "Come here I have an idea." She smiled at Vicky and kept walking backward until she felt the trunk of a tree behind her. She leaned back onto the tree and pulled Vicky as close as she could get her, placing her hands on the blonde's waist to keep her in place. She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows before she leaned forward and kissed her.</p>
<p>Vicky kissed her back with fervor, her tongue darting into the other woman's mouth swiftly. She loved when Kate took control like this and her aforementioned desire to be close to the brunette kept her glued in place.</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Vicky's eagerness. She loved how Vicky never held anything back when they kissed. Kate ran her hands up Vicky's back and back down to just above her ass. Despite letting herself get lost in their kiss, Kate still had the presence of mind to keep it clean enough to avoid getting arrested. She pulled back from the kiss and lowered her lips to Vicky's neck and Kate had to admit, if only to herself, that she had a bit of a fetish when it came to Vicky's neck. She just loved tasting it and sucking on it and she really liked how easy it was to mark, to claim Vicky as hers. Kate was careful though, not to use her teeth at all.</p>
<p>Vicky tilted her head to give Kate room to work, her hands on Kate's hips to keep herself steady. She was Kate's and that's why she gave herself freely to her. She wanted the brunette to know that she trusted her completely.</p>
<p>Kate smiled when she felt Vicky move to give her better access. She drifted her lips lower to the collar of Vicky's shirt and she reached her tongue out, licking the valley between the blonde's breasts. Kate was getting turned on and she felt herself getting wet. Kate slid her hand around to the front of Vicky's jeans, she kept it hidden between their bodies but she slid her fingers between Vicky's legs, lightly cupping her. Kate felt Vicky jump a little in her hand and she grinned. She lifted her lips to Vicky's ear and whispered, "Do you like that?"</p>
<p>Vicky's cheeks were flushed and she nodded, "Yes...don't start something you can't finish, babe, please...cause I need you..."</p>
<p>Kate pulled her lips back but kept her hand where it was. She glanced quickly at Vicky's car and then back to her girlfriend. She grinned, a little evilly, and said, "Well...what do you say we go back to your car and I show you how much I need you too? I can definitely finish what I'm starting if you're willing to let me." Kate looked at Vicky, waiting for her answer, while her hand slowly stroked back and forth with just enough pressure to be noticed.</p>
<p>"Yes," she said in a heavy breath and pressed down on Kate's hand, her underwear getting drenched with her arousal.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, she hadn't wanted to fool around in a car since her teens but she needed to be with Vicky one more time. Carefully she pulled her hand away, loving the little whimper that escaped Vicky's lips. She took Vicky's hand and said, "Come on." Kate pulled Vicky back to the car and she opened the back door. She motioned for Vicky to get in first and then followed her in. Kate shifted and gently lay Vicky down, "Just lay back baby and enjoy the ride, ok? I want to give you something to remember when you're in bed alone." Kate was suddenly really glad that Vicky's car has tinted windows as she took the blonde's shirt off and dropped it on the driver's seat. Kate took a moment to admire Vicky's breasts in the white lace, demi-cup bra she was wearing. It was very girly and very...Vicky. Kate smiled as she unhooked the front clasp and set the blonde's beautiful breasts free. She lowered herself down, took one breast in her mouth, and began to lick it while her hand began playing with the other.</p>
<p>Vicky moaned and her back arched, pressing her breasts up against Kate's mouth and hand. Her nipples were stiff, straining for as much contact as possible. She was breathing heavily, her eyes closed and her hand running through Kate's short, brown locks. She hadn't done anything like this in years and there was something about being in a public place, even if they were concealed, that turned her on like nothing else.</p>
<p>Kate knew they didn't have a lot of time but she was determined to make Vicky come, hard. She switched her mouth to Vicky's other breast while her hands slid down her torso to the waistband of the blonde's skirt. She unzipped the skirt and slid one hand inside to cup Vicky's sex, her fingers getting coated with the wetness she knew she'd caused. Kate began to kiss her way down Vicky's body to join her hand.</p>
<p>Vicky was gripping the seat with one hand and Kate's hair with the other. Her legs were parted as much as they could be given the tight space and her breathing had evolved into moans, each one louder than the last. "Oh, god, Kate...yeah...like that, baby, like that."</p>
<p>Vicky's moans and her words only served to turn Kate on even more and she quickly slid Vicky's skirt off and closed her lips around her clit to suck on it.</p>
<p>Kate moved her hands around to Vicky's butt to cup her cheeks and lift her up a little to give her mouth more access of the blonde's soaking wet center. Kate smiled as her actions increased the moans coming from the blonde.</p>
<p>"I'm so close, Kate...please, baby, don't stop," Vicky pleaded, her hips rocking, her breasts heaving, and her folds quivering. She had her eyes open staring down at Kate situated between her legs. It was pushing her closer and closer to climax to watch Kate's head bobbing as she licked, sucked, and thrust.</p>
<p>Kate lifted her head long enough to say, "Come for me." Then she lowered her mouth back to her task as she brought one hand around to the front and slid one long finger into Vicky. She curled her finger and felt the spongy patch of nerves that she was looking for. She increased the motion of her tongue against Vicky's clit as she applied gentle but firm pressure to the spot deep inside of her blonde girlfriend who was writhing and moaning. Kate knew Vicky was close and she wanted her to come in her mouth, on her hand.</p>
<p>Vicky couldn't hold back, though she was trying because she wasn't ready for this to end. Her back arched up and her muscles tightened around Kate's finger, her clit pulsing against Kate's tongue. Her moans were rhythmic until she finally lost control and then it was Kate's name on her lips. She came hard, her body rigid as she repeated Kate's name over and over.</p>
<p>Kate felt Vicky come apart in her hand and her mouth, shouting her name and she loved it. She slowed her finger and gently helped Vicky ride out the wave. When the blonde had come back down, Kate slowly slid her body up, rubbing against the sweat-slicked skin of the body beneath her and she looked into Vicky's deep blue eyes. Kate smiled down at her and whispered, "Thank you, baby." Kate leaned down and kissed Vicky deeply, letting the blonde taste herself on Kate's lips.</p>
<p>Vicky licked and sucked at Kate's tongue, the salty familiarity of her essence filling her mouth. She pulled back, her eyes a dark blue color, and grinned at Kate, "Thank you. That was amazing..." She took a deep breath and sighed, "Mmm, I want to return the favor."</p>
<p>Kate smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but her cell phone began chiming before she could say anything. Kate dropped her head to Vicky's chest and sighed. She reached around to the front seat where her purse was and pulled out her cell phone.</p>
<p>She checked the phone and let out a growl, "Damn it." She turned back to Vicky with a look that was half apologetic and half-filled with frustration. She gave Vicky a light kiss as she turned off the alarm. "I would love to take you up on that baby but that alarm means I have less than 15 minutes to make it to the airport before I miss the one-hour check-in window. I am so sorry baby, but we need to get going." Kate dropped her head to Vicky's chest again. She couldn't look into those blue eyes and see her reaction.</p>
<p>Vicky could feel her heart drop and then there was a squeeze like it was stuck in a vice. She choked back her tears and caressed Kate's hair, their sweet scent thick in the car. She wasn't ready. That was all there was to it. But she knew she didn't have a choice, she'd have to take her, give her a good-bye kiss, and then go home to an empty house. The thought made her want to crawl into a hole. She sighed heavily and kissed the top of Kate's head and then began putting herself back together again. In minutes, she was behind the steering wheel and Kate in the passenger seat.</p>
<p>Kate felt like she was dying. She sat in the passenger seat and looked out the window. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay here with Vicky forever but she knew that wasn't an option. Kate turned her head and looked at Vicky. Her mind went back to a few moments ago when the blonde was naked, writhing beneath her, moaning. Kate would always treasure that memory. She reached out and placed her hand on Vicky's thigh, squeezing gently before she said, "I'm so sorry about this Vicky. I wish we had more time." Kate felt the tears coming on and she took a breath to fight them back.</p>
<p>Vicky could feel her throat close from the size of the lump inside. "I know...but it's not forever...it can't be. We'll be together again somehow, I promise. No matter what I have to do or what you have to do. We'll be together."</p>
<p>Kate felt herself smile, "Yes, we will be. It will happen and I will wait for you. I just wish it could happen now." Kate had never really been a patient person but she was getting better at it and for a chance to spend the rest of her life with Vicky, she'd be patient.</p>
<p>They stopped at a red light and Kate turned in her seat to face Vicky. She lifted her hand to Vicky's cheek and she lightly ran her thumb over the cheekbone. Her voice was confident and firm, "Vicky Harrison, you and I will be together again one day and when we are, I'm going to spend the rest of our lives together making sure you know exactly how much I love you." Kate leaned forward and sealed her vow with a kiss.</p>
<p>There were a lot of things in this world that Vicky thought were certain only to find out that they could be yanked away in the blink of an eye, but this, Kate's vow, she believed was real with all her heart. Kate didn't take things lightly nor did she enter into them without giving it her full consideration. Vicky had seen this over the past two weeks. So she knew that no matter what it took, she and Kate would be together forever.</p>
<p>The honking of the cars behind them alerted them that the light had changed. Kate settled back into her seat as Vicky got the car moving again. They arrived at the airport within a few minutes and Vicky parked in the visitors' lot. They got out and entered the airport.</p>
<p>Vicky insisted on accompanying Kate to the gate so she got a gate pass. They went through security and soon they were sitting in the chairs at the gate as they waited for the plane to arrive. Kate took Vicky's hand and smiled at her, "Thank you."</p>
<p>Vicky smiled, "For what?"</p>
<p>"For these last two weeks, for making this vacation the best of my life." Kate lowered her voice, "For loving me and letting me love you, for forgiving me for what I did to you this morning, for knowing it wasn't intentional, but most importantly, for believing me that we will be together one day and for planning ahead for it. Thank you for...being you. No pretenses, no lies, and no false promises just...being Vicky. I love you." Kate leaned forward and kissed her girlfriend.</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, but she didn't feel like she deserved Kate's gratitude. Yes, she loved her honestly, and yes, everything she had done or said or felt, was true, but there was one part that was not. It was the reality of who Vicky really was. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell Kate, she wanted to more than anything in the world, but she couldn't tell her the truth. She hated herself for that, but she hated Velez even more for taking that away from her and her girlfriend. She leaned her head on Kate's shoulder and said, "I love you too, Kate. No matter what happens, you have to believe that everything has been real and will always be real. Tell me you believe me."</p>
<p>Kate looked at Vicky and frowned, "I'm not sure I like the sound of that but yes, I believe you." Kate didn't normally trust so blindly but there was something about Vicky that inspired her trust.</p>
<p>Kate was in love, she knew it as surely as she knew her own name, and she knew Vicky loved her too, that much had become obvious these past two weeks. There was nothing Vicky could say or do that would change that.</p>
<p>Vicky kissed Kate again and then the call came over the PA system that Kate's flight was boarding. Vicky couldn't hold in her emotion anymore and her tears surfaced in the blink of an eye. She embraced Kate and held her tightly. "Please, get home safe and I love you. When you feel alone at night or when you're not sure how you're going to make it through your day, remember that I'm here and I love you with all my heart."</p>
<p>Kate held on to Vicky as if her life depended on it. She didn't want to let go, but Kate eventually pulled back and smiled through the tears in her eyes and said, "I will. When you get home I want you to look in the bottom drawer of your nightstand, I left you a surprise. I want you to remember me and know that whenever you look at what I left you, I'm thinking of you and loving you and waiting for the day when I can hold you again. I love you Vicky." Kate kissed Vicky, letting her love pour out of her, and then she pulled away as she heard her row being called. "I have to go baby, I'm sorry." Kate reluctantly stepped away and moved towards the door to the tunnel.</p>
<p>Vicky held onto herself, feeling as though a part of her heart had been ripped away. She watched Kate's plane pull away and waited until it had taken off and was out of her sight. She walked with heavy legs back to the parking area to get into her car and go home. The only comfort she had was the surprise waiting for her. Anything that came from Kate would be cherished until the moment she could be with her again.</p>
<p>Kate sat in her seat on the airplane and looked out the window as she watched the ground fall away. With every moment that passed, she was being taken further away from Vicky, so it made her glad that the seat next to hers was empty. It allowed her to cry in peace. She let the tears fall, not even trying to stop them. She felt the tightness in her chest as she thought about going to bed alone and waking up without Vicky. Idly, wondered if one could actually die from a broken heart. If so, she was sure she would land in New York as a corpse.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Vicky got home, she closed the door behind her and heard the deafening echo as it bounced off the adobe walls. She continued to sob, her eyes red from all the tears, and slowly made her way into her bedroom. She sat down on the bed and reached for the drawer that Kate had told her to look into for the surprise and sure enough, she found the little package that Kate was talking about.</p>
<p>A few days ago, when she finally allowed herself to face the reality that she was going to be leaving soon, Kate decided to leave something for Vicky to remember her by. Vicky had to work that day, so she'd let Kate borrow her car again. Kate had typed a search into her cell phone to find the places she needed to go and then entered the addresses into the GPS unit in the car. Three stops later, Kate had everything she needed and went back to Vicky's house. She'd been staying there since their fourth day together after Vicky asked if she'd be interested in checking out of the hotel early so that they could spend more time together. Kate was thrilled at the invite and moved all of her things to Vicky's place.</p>
<p>As she sat in the kitchen, Kate prepared Vicky's surprise by carefully writing out the exact recipe for Malukuao and framing it in a beautiful brushed metal frame that she'd bought at Borders. She then picked up the copy of Rick Castles's first book, the one she'd bought at the bookstore during their first date, and carefully wrapped the book with a sheet of tissue.</p>
<p>Kate wanted to leave Vicky this book as a gesture that they would see each other again. She knew that Vicky knew how important the book was to her and that by leaving it with the blonde, she was saying that she knew they would be together again.</p>
<p>She placed the book into a gift box and then set the frame on top of it before closing the box. She then took out the stationery she'd also picked up at Borders and began writing the letter she was going to leave. She wrote down all of her emotions and thoughts about their future and then carefully folded the letter.</p>
<p>She slid the letter into the matching envelope and after sealing it, she kissed the flap and left a medium red impression of her lips on the white paper. Kate wrapped the box with the nice silvery wrapping paper she'd bought and then taped the letter to the top, Vickys name written in Kates's handwriting. Kate slipped it into the bottom drawer of the nightstand and knew she would have to make sure Vicky didn't find it until she was gone.</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she thought of all the ways she could distract her beautiful, sexy girlfriend from looking in the drawer as she cleaned up the mess she'd made with the wrapping, and soon enough, it was time to pick Vicky up from work. After returning to Vicky's house for the night, Kate had cooked dinner and they'd snuggled on the couch, the blonde none the wiser about the surprise waiting for her in the nightstand.</p>
<p>Now, Vicky held the recipe and the book in her hands and smiled. "Oh, Kate," she said, her tears still falling, but this time, they were happy. She knew how important the book was to Kate, so to be holding it at all meant that Kate believed they would be together again. She resolved that somehow she'd find a way to get Rick Castle to sign it for Kate, even if she had to use her Cabot pull to do it and the rules be damned. She set it back in the box carefully and then took the recipe into the kitchen to practice making Kate's signature dish.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I admit that it may seem as if they are moving very fast with the declarations of love and planning a future after only 2 weeks but...sometimes it be like that.  Sometimes you know almost right away that this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and you can't help but make plans and look to the future. So cut our girls some slack in this and I promise the payoff will be worth it later.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Facing The Music</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>US Marshall Mary Shannon (In Plain Sight) visits Vicky and lays down the law.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The third fandom in this tale of ours makes an appearance. In Plain Sight was a great show that I loved watching. We borrowed Mary Shannon for this for a little bit.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>US Marshal Mary Shannon was not in a good mood. She was furious and frustrated and she hoped the 45-minute drive from Albuquerque to Santa Fe would cool her off enough so that she wouldn't shoot her witness on sight. Mary never really had a problem with Alex Cabot, now Vicky Harrison, before today. The blonde former ADA wasn't usually a bother. She followed the rules, kept a low profile, had a nice job that was completely unrelated to her former identity, and never gave her any problems. Her only complication was her request to move from Albuquerque to Santa Fe for the job at the gallery. It had been approved and resolved easily enough, but today...today was different.</p>
<p>The day had started out normally enough, nothing too bad, until a few hours ago when Mary had gotten a call that Vicky Harrison's ID had been used to request a gate pass. Mary had read the report, seen the security footage, and saw Vicky accompany a brunette to one of the gates. She watched as they waited at the gate and kissed goodbye before the brunette boarded her flight. Mary had called the airport and, using her credentials, she got the flight number and the destination. When she saw that it was a nonstop flight to New York, she'd gotten a sinking feeling in her stomach. Mary was well versed in Cabot's file. She knew that the blonde had talked Hammond into letting her tell two of her detectives she was still alive and that she'd gone back to New York to testify, which led to her relocation to New Mexico. Mary started wondering if one of those detectives had found Vicky and came to New Mexico for a visit.</p>
<p>It was already five in the evening, but she didn't want to leave this until tomorrow if there was an actual problem. Mary pulled up at Vicky's house and took a breath before getting out to ring the bell. She waited patiently for Vicky to answer the door and did her best to keep her aggravation in check.</p>
<p>Vicky was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. She turned off the stove and went to the door, surprised to see Mary through the peephole. She opened the door and smiled, "Hi Mary, come in." She had no reason to think there was a problem.</p>
<p>Mary walked in the door and went to the living room. She turned to face Vicky and without smiling, asked, "Hi Vicky, um...is there something you maybe want to tell me?" Mary wanted to see if Vicky would be honest with her or if she would have to drag it out of her with the facts she'd learned.</p>
<p>Vicky smiled a clueless smile, "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>Mary nodded. The hard way it was going to be. "I mean, is there anything you want to tell me about what you did today? Maybe somewhere you went that you shouldn't have gone?" Mary struggled to keep her anger in check, now wasn't the time.</p>
<p>Vicky raised her eyebrow, "I'm not allowed to go to Albuquerque?"</p>
<p>Mary took a deep breath and started pacing, "Vicky, where in Albuquerque did you go today? And before you try to keep up this dumb blonde act, let me remind you that I am a US Marshal and I have great connections."</p>
<p>"The airport," she replied matter-of-factly. "But I'm still here, so obviously I didn't go anywhere, which means I didn't break any rules..."</p>
<p>Mary just stopped and looked at her. "That depends on why you went to the airport, Vicky. I can't keep you safe if you won't be honest with me."</p>
<p>"I took a close friend to catch her flight. I got a gate pass, stayed with her until she left, and came home. End of story."</p>
<p>"A close friend who just happened to get on a flight to New York? Please tell me it wasn't one of those detectives that know you're alive. Tell me you did not just risk your safety and identity for a few nights of fun." Mary was suddenly convinced that she had told one of her NYPD buddies where she was and the woman had come to town to find her.</p>
<p>"Yes. She was on vacation here, we spent two weeks together, and she went home. That's all. If you want to check the passenger manifest for the flight, you'll see that Detective Benson's name is not on it."</p>
<p>Mary just glared at her, "I have Marshal doing that as we speak, but let's assume that you're telling me the truth and it wasn't Benson. Does this woman know who you really are? Did you break cover for her?"</p>
<p>"No, Mary, I didn't. She thinks I'm Vicky Harrison just like she's supposed to."</p>
<p>Mary let out the breath she was holding. "Good. That's good. Well, I hope those two weeks were worth it because you are not allowed to contact this woman again do you hear me? No e-mails, no phone calls, nothing. As long as you're in the program and in danger, this woman is off limits and if I find out that you have been contacting her I'll have you transferred back to Agent Hammond's care." When her threat didn't produce a reaction Mary added, "You probably didn't know this but he's been transferred to Alaska. So if I send you back to his care, you'll be moving to Alaska. No more contact." Mary didn't like being so heavy-handed but she didn't have a choice. She liked Vicky. After all, the woman wasn't some criminal who had turned on her partners or her bosses for a new life in WITSEC. She was a prosecutor who had tried to do the right thing and lost everything she'd known. Mary was sympathetic to a point but she still had a job to do and that job was to keep Alexandra Cabot alive until the threat against her was eliminated.</p>
<p>"So to be clear, you're going to be checking my e-mails, calls, whatever until further notice? I just want to know how invaded my privacy is going to be," she said in an icy tone. She didn't like being watched for any reason, so this was the worst thing that could happen. "Oh and to answer your question, yes, she was worth it, and given the choice, I'd do it again."</p>
<p>Mary sighed, "Vicky, I don't like having to do this but I have no choice here. It's my job to keep you alive. This woman is from New York and the threat to your life came from New York. If she were to find out who you are, or if someone else were to find out that she knew you, you'd be in even more danger. So I'm truly sorry but yes, the Marshal's office will be monitoring your e-mail, internet activity, and your phone lines until we're satisfied that you aren't in contact with this woman." Mary hated having to invade her privacy and basically treat her like a prisoner or a child who just got grounded but she didn't see any other way to keep her safe. Keeping in contact with this woman could prove to be very dangerous.</p>
<p>"Why don't you just put a detail on me 24-7? They can follow me around the house, to work, to the store, pretty much everywhere I go. That way you can be 100% sure I'm not texting or calling her no matter where I go," she said with total anger. This wasn't fair. She knew the risks and she wouldn't put Kate or herself in danger and it bothered her that Mary didn't see that.</p>
<p>Mary's own anger calmed as Vicky's grew, "Vicky, I know this sucks, believe me, I know it does but I don't have a choice here. If I don't do my job and something happens to you, I'm the one who's going to be held responsible. I think I know you enough by now to understand that you wouldn't put yourself at risk, at least I hope you wouldn't, but look at the facts. You broke the rules right out of the gate and let two people from your former life know you were alive and going into Witness Protection, then you broke cover and ran to New York with Hammond to testify against Liam Connors when there was really very little you could testify to. Not only did you let him know you were still alive, but you let his bosses and basically all of New York know it too. Hammond requested you be transferred to my care in the hopes that I could keep you in line and you've been the model witness, until now. I know you say that none of this was planned, but it's a hell of a coincidence that this woman from New York just happens to show up in Santa Fe, where you requested to be moved to from Albuquerque, and you spend two weeks with her. It makes me think that you're up to something and that's why I'm going to be extra cautious about this." Mary hoped Vicky did understand her position. It would make her job that much easier.</p>
<p>"Up until two weeks ago, I didn't even know she existed, but yes, we grew close. I'd never do anything to endanger her, but if it'll make you feel better to watch me like a hawk, be my guest."</p>
<p>Mary tried a different angle, "Well, you may not have known that she existed but can you say the same for her? How do you know she doesn't work for the drug lord who's after you? How do you know she didn't deliberately show up here looking for you? How do you know that she won't tell someone about her vacation fling and that information gets around to the wrong person? Vicky, you're smarter than that. I'm asking you nicely, please don't try to contact her, ok?" Mary was suddenly very tired, the long day, coupled with the long drive and this argument was draining her energy.</p>
<p>"Fine, but I know she didn't come here to kill me. She would've finished the job by now, don't you think? Anyway, I'm going back to making dinner. I can cook for more than just myself if that detail is planning to be here..."</p>
<p>Mary grinned, "There won't be a detail Vicky, just the usual electronic traces on your e-mail and phone lines. But if you don't mind the company, and don't try to poison me, can I join you?"</p>
<p>She nodded even though she was pissed. She knew where Mary was coming from but it still bugged her. "Have a seat, it's almost ready."</p>
<p>Mary watched as the blonde moved around her kitchen, she looked almost comfortable in the space. It was a vast difference from the last time Mary had been in Vicky's house. Shortly after she'd moved to Santa Fe, Mary had come out to make sure she was settling in ok, and Vicky had invited her to stay for dinner. Vicky's movements weren't as fluid as they were now and Mary wondered if the change was due to time and experience or something else. She smiled at Vicky but didn't try to ask her, something told Mary she might not like the answer.</p>
<p>Vicky finished up on the stove and served two plates of Kate's special mixture. She carried them over to the table and set one down in front of Mary. "I hope you like it," she said and sat down to join the agent.</p>
<p>Mary took a moment to look at the strange dish of food before her and then looked at Vicky, who was already eating. "Ummm...what is it?"</p>
<p>"Malukuao. It's amazing, trust me," she said and took a bite.</p>
<p>Mary quirked an eyebrow, "Malu-what?"</p>
<p>"Special made-up old family recipe. Just try it, you'll love it. I've been learning to make it and though it's not as good as it could be, it's still wonderful."</p>
<p>Mary wasn't convinced but she decided to keep an open mind. She picked up her fork and poked at the food. She moved things around, trying to identify all the components and after a few moments, she scooped some up on her fork and tried it. She chewed carefully and swallowed with a smile. "OK, it looks weird and a little like leftovers but it's really pretty good. I like it."</p>
<p>"I'm glad. I made 3 batches before I got it edible," Vicky said with a chuckle. "I'm not the best cook, you know."</p>
<p>Mary chuckled, "Join the club. It seems to be a trend among women in the law enforcement field."</p>
<p>Vicky nodded, though she remembered that Olivia was a really good cook unless she was just a fluke. Either way, it didn't matter. Vicky never planned to go back to anyone in law enforcement because she had Kate now and Kate was an amazing cook.</p>
<p>Mary continued to eat, kind of glad that she didn't have to resort to take-out tonight for dinner. Mary looked up from her plate and decided a new topic might be a good idea so she asked, "So, how's it going at the gallery?"</p>
<p>"It's been steady. I've had a few big sales over the past few weeks and we're getting ready for a show. There's this artist who just came out of the College of Santa Fe and she's really talented. You should come by and check it out."</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "That sounds really nice. I'm not very into art but I'll swing by. When is it?" Mary decided to be supportive of Vicky in an effort to establish a truce of sorts.</p>
<p>"November 15th through the 22nd. We're having a small opening party on the 14th and it might be more fun if you came that night. There'll be lots of champagne and good food."</p>
<p>Mary pulled out her PDA and checked her calendar. She smiled when she saw the opening in her schedule and she said, "I can make it."</p>
<p>"Great! You can see Vicky Harrison in action," she said with a chuckle and then finished her meal. "Do you want some dessert and coffee when you're done?"</p>
<p>Mary grinned, "Well what's for dessert?"</p>
<p>"I have peach cobbler or pumpkin pie..."</p>
<p>Mary thought about that for a few moments and then checked her watch, "Those both sound really good but I should really get on the road back to Albuquerque, early day tomorrow. Can I take a rain check?"</p>
<p>"Of course. I could wrap up one of each for the road if you'd like?" Vicky said, heading toward the refrigerator.</p>
<p>Mary chuckled, "Yeah that would be good, thanks."</p>
<p>"Sure." Vicky packed two containers, one with cobbler and the other with pie, and put them in a small paper bag. She handed the bag over to Mary and said, "Enjoy it. They're delicious."</p>
<p>Mary looked down for a moment, thinking about her options, and then she lifted her eyes to look at Vicky, "Listen, Vicky, I really am sorry about having to be so heavy-handed with you about this woman from New York. It's my job to keep my witnesses safe and if I'm going to continue to be really good at what I do, then I can't always be the good guy. But um, how about I make you a deal?" Mary had been thinking about it and she figured that since Vicky wasn't a criminal and she did seem genuine when she said she wouldn't put herself or this woman in danger, she would make a bit of a compromise.</p>
<p>"What sort of a deal are we talking about?" Vicky knew a lot about making deals. It was part of her old job as a prosecutor.</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "Well if you can keep yourself from contacting your lady friend in New York for say...six months, I'll take off the electronic surveillance at that time and give you the privacy you want. What do you say?"</p>
<p>Vicky looked her over, "Hmm, you're probably not going to budge from six months, so I'll take your deal. I'll be on my best behavior."</p>
<p>"The six months is a minimum time limit. Keep your nose clean and don't give me a reason to tighten the noose further by adding a physical detail to follow you. When the times up, I'll back off."</p>
<p>"You have my word, I won't use my e-mail or my cell to contact her."</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "Good, then we have a deal. But Vicky, if I find out that you've contacted her at any point during the next six months, the deal's off and you'll have a permanent shadow, understand?"</p>
<p>"Perfectly. Don't worry, best behavior, remember? Now, have a safe trip back and I'll see you on the 14th," she said as she walked Mary out.</p>
<p>Mary walked to her car and got in. She sat behind the wheel for a minute and just grinned. It didn't escape her notice that Vicky had spoken very specifically, carefully crafting a loophole to get around their deal. Mary already knew she was going to have to keep a close eye on Vicky's communications. In the meantime, she wanted to find out as much as she could about Vicky's mystery woman, so she decided that once she got back to her office, she was going to see who checked in before and after Vicky in the hopes of getting the woman's name. She was grinning to herself when she noticed that Vicky was still at the door. She waved one last time and then turned the car on and drove away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Freedom and Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another time jump, this time almost a year has passed. Vicky gets some really great news.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am not familiar with how long it would actually take to release someone from WITSEC like this, so we took a few liberties with the timeline.  It isn't automatic, but it also doesn't drag on for an unrealistic amount of time either.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>September 5, 2009</i>
</p>
<p>Mary Shannon was in her office, makeshift as it was, finishing up some paperwork on a new witness when the door opened, and an imposing man entered. Mary looked up, and she instantly recognized the man. Even if his face hadn't been so familiar, the cut of his suit and his demeanor practically screamed US Marshal.</p>
<p>Mary got a sinking feeling, but she hid it well as she stood up and said, "Agent Hammond, what brings you to my little plot of heaven?"</p>
<p>Agent Hammond grimaced as the air conditioning in the office took a bit too long to affect him. He looked to the other Agent and said, "Agent Shannon, you're the lead on the Cabot case now, right?"</p>
<p>Mary nodded, "Yeah, why?"</p>
<p>Hammond smiled, "Because I have good news for you. Cesar Velez was found murdered in his cell last night. He was taken to the morgue early this morning for an autopsy, and I verified his death myself. Intelligence confirms that the threat against Ms. Cabot died along with Velez, and she's free to return to her former life if she chooses. I came here to brief you and accompany you to Ms. Cabot's house to tell her the news."</p>
<p>Mary took a moment to process that, and then she smiled, "That's great news. Come on, let's go."</p>
<p>Mary led Jack Hammond out to her car, and they drove off towards Santa Fe, and on the way, Hammond finished his briefing. Mary pulled up to the sidewalk outside Vicky's house and cut the engine before she and Hammond got out of the car and headed to the front door. Mary rang the bell and waited for Vicky to answer. It was a Saturday, so she knew Vicky wasn't at work, and her car was in the driveway.</p>
<p>Vicky was sitting on the couch in her pajamas watching a movie when she heard the bell. She got up and walked over to the door, checking to see who was standing outside. When she saw Mary and Agent Hammond, she knew something big was happening. She opened the door and looked at both agents, "Hello..."</p>
<p>Before Hammond could say anything, Mary took the lead, "Hi Vicky. There's been a development in your case. Can we come in?" Mary decided this news was too big to bully their way through it, so she went the polite route. She knew Hammond was like the proverbial bull in a china shop, and she wanted to be the opposite of that.</p>
<p>"Of course. Please excuse the mess, I've been lazy all morning." She closed the door and walked in behind them, "Can I get you anything? Some coffee or juice?"</p>
<p>Mary and Hammond walked into the living room. Hammond declined coffee, but Mary smiled, "Coffee actually sounds really good, thanks, Vicky."</p>
<p>"Sure," she said and then went into the kitchen. She called out to the agents while she poured a cup for Mary, "So, what's going on?"</p>
<p>Mary looked at Hammond and whispered, "Don't just blurt it out. Try some tact, ok?" Mary raised her voice, "Um, why don't you come sit down, and we'll talk about it."</p>
<p>Vicky nodded and brought the coffee, along with cream and sugar, over for Mary. She set it down on the coffee table and took a seat, "Ok. What's going on? Good news or bad?"</p>
<p>Mary sipped her coffee as she waited for Hammond to speak. Jack looked between the two women and shifted in his seat before clearing his throat, "Um, Miss...uh..." Hammond floundered for a moment, but then he remembered her cover name, "Harrison. Cesar Velez was murdered last night in his prison cell. I went to identify the body and verify his death personally, and it seems that the contract on your life died with him. Miss Harrison...um, Miss Cabot, you're being released from the Program. As soon as you complete the necessary paperwork and counseling sessions, you'll be free to resume your old life...if that's what you want." Hammond shut up then, giving Miss Cabot a few moments to process the information. Mary just sat quietly, letting Vicky think about her situation.</p>
<p>Vicky stared down at the floor as the news started to sink in. She was Alex Cabot again, just like that. How strange it sounded to her...Alex Cabot. She repeated it over and over in her mind, and suddenly it was like she was home again. New York was possible. Going back to Kate was possible. It was nothing short of a miracle. "How soon can I return home?" she asked, her voice eerily calm despite the news.</p>
<p>Hammond shifted again, "Well, as I said, there's a lot of paperwork to be done, and we require that you meet with an exit counselor at least twice before you can get on a plane to New York. You'll also have to meet with a therapist once you've returned home. Best case scenario, you're looking at two weeks."</p>
<p>Mary hated to rain on her parade, so to speak, but she didn't want to mislead Alex in any way.</p>
<p>"Oh, come on, can't you bend the rules just this once? I don't need counseling, and if you bring me the paperwork, I can have it done tomorrow. I'm really ok with everything that's happened..."</p>
<p>Hammond scowled, "Sorry, Miss Cabot, but this is non-negotiable...even for a lawyer. Rules of the program aren't flexible."</p>
<p>Mary grinned because she knew why Alex was so eager to get back to New York. She turned to Hammond, "Um, Jack, I think we can speed the process up a bit, can't we?" Hammond looked as if he was going to argue, but she cut him off, "How about this? I'll handle the paperwork, and I'll personally deliver her to the New York office, ok?"</p>
<p>Hammond thought about that and then said, "Fine. But she has to have at least one session with the shrink before she leaves for New York."</p>
<p>Mary turned to Alex, "Can you live with that?"</p>
<p>Alex nodded, "Yes. I'll answer all the questions, do whatever it takes. I want to get home."</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "Good. Since it's Saturday, nothing more can be done until the office opens back up on Monday. It'll probably take me a couple of days to get everything in order, but I'll give you a call on Monday to let you know when I'll be coming back to pick you up. In the meantime, I suggest you take this time to pack up your things and prepare yourself to leave Vicky Harrison behind. Come on, Jack, we should get going. Alex, um...congratulations. I know how much you've wanted this." Mary took a moment to let everything she'd said sink in before pulling Hammond off the couch, and they left Vicky's house. Mary made the drive to Albuquerque in silence. Hammond just sat in the passenger seat and sighed, his head resting on the headrest. It had been a long flight.</p>
<p>Alex remained on the couch for almost an hour after the agents left. She was still trying to process the news and figure out the most efficient way to get her things together and ready for the move. She didn't have that much to take with her, but it had to be packaged up for the shippers. She decided that she'd save the heavy thoughts until tomorrow and spend the rest of the afternoon and evening out in the city. She wanted a chance to make peace with the place that had brought her together with the woman she loved.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alex spent a wonderful evening out on the town taking pictures and making a few purchases at some local shops before heading home. She slept comfortably for the first time since Kate left and got up the next morning with a renewed purpose. She started the task of packing up her things, and it surprised her how much she wanted to take back with her. The furniture, dinnerware, appliances, etc., were there when she moved in, so she just cleaned up and left the house the way she found it when she moved in.</p>
<p>Mary had called on Monday to let Alex know that she'd be by on Wednesday, so the blonde finished up late Tuesday night and placed the six boxes she ended up with near the doorway for the movers. She couldn't wait until the morning came, and she could finally do what needed to be done and get back to New York.</p>
<p>Just as the days had flown by for Alex, the same was true for Mary Shannon. She'd gotten the paperwork ready and scheduled Alex's therapy session without the help of Agent Hammond. He was ready to get on a flight back to Anchorage first thing on Monday morning. It wasn't that he didn't like or admire Alex for what she'd done with the Velez cartel, but the fact was, she would always be linked in his mind to the death of his old partner, Tim Donovan, and it was easier for him to leave than to stay and have to relive it. Besides, he knew that Mary was very capable, and he did not doubt that Alex was in good hands.</p>
<p>Late Wednesday morning, Mary drove out to Santa Fe to pick Alex up and take her to the airport. She could only imagine how anxious Alex was to get back to New York and the mystery woman she hadn't seen in almost a year. She just hoped that a year without communication hadn't damaged whatever it was that they were building.</p>
<p>When Mary pulled up to the house, she got out and rang the doorbell. She knew this was a significant day for Alex, and she was glad to be a part of it. Alex nearly jumped off the couch and sprinted for the door. She'd been on edge all morning as she waited for Mary to arrive and had already had two false alarms, one being the mailman and the other an Avon lady. She hoped the third time was a charm. She looked through the peephole and grinned when she saw Mary standing on the other side. She opened the door and said, "Finally."</p>
<p>Mary chuckled, "A little eager there, Miss Cabot?"</p>
<p>"That would be an understatement. I already double and triple checked the house. I'm ready to go."</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "I see. Mind if I come in?" Mary asked, still standing on the porch.</p>
<p>Alex sighed just a little. "Um, yeah, sure, come in." She had no idea what Mary was waiting for.</p>
<p>Mary smiled as she walked into the house and went to the table in the kitchen. She sat down and looked up at Alex, "I have something for you, sit down."</p>
<p>Alex reluctantly walked over and sat, but she was itchy, and it was obvious. She watched Mary and waited for this something that Mary mentioned.</p>
<p>Mary could tell Alex was getting antsy, and while she wanted to draw it out just to mess with her, she couldn't be that cruel. Mary reached into the briefcase she'd brought with her and pulled out the folder that contained the papers Alex needed to sign. She handed Alex and pen and slid both papers across the table to the anxious blonde. "Go ahead and look these over, and then when you're done, sign at the bottom of both forms. I also want to let you know that you have an appointment with our exit therapist next Wednesday. I know you don't want to wait a week, but that's the earliest I could get you on her schedule. I'm sorry."</p>
<p>"It's fine. Let's just get this going." She looked over both sheets of paper, the lawyer in her boiling it down to just the important bits, and then picked up the pen. She started signing the paper with a "V" and then blushed, "Right..." She tried it again, this time signing her name "Alexandra Cabot" on the two forms and then handed them back to Mary.</p>
<p>Mary nodded and then tucked the paperwork back into her briefcase. "Ok, well, that should be everything. Are you packed yet?"</p>
<p>"Are you really asking me that question?"Alex asked with a chuckle.</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "I just wanted to be sure. The movers will be by this afternoon to pick up your things, and they'll be holding them in storage until you get settled in your new place. Since your therapy session isn't until the 16th, I was thinking of staying in New York with you until the 18th to help you get settled and make sure that everything goes off without a hitch."</p>
<p>"Um, I appreciate the offer, Mary, but I'm sure I can handle myself, and I can always stay at my mother's townhouse until I find my own place."</p>
<p>Mary hesitated, "Well...the thing is...when your mother died, you were presumed dead, so the townhouse went on the market, and it was sold. I'm really sorry, but we'll be staying at a hotel...</p>
<p>"Whoa, wait...did they sell the house upstate as well?" she asked with concern. Those properties were important to her, and she couldn't stand the idea that they were sold just because she wasn't around.</p>
<p>"No. We're not exactly sure why, but in early 2003, your mother transferred the deed into your name, so when we took control of your assets and placed them in a dummy account, the house became a part of your net worth. Once we finish processing your departure paperwork, which usually takes between seven and 10 days, we'll transfer everything from the dummy account back into your name. Once that happens, you can decide where you want to live. Officially you'll be Alex Cabot again."</p>
<p>Alex sighed heavily, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it. She was happy that at least the one house she cared about was still hers, and she knew exactly why her mother had put it in her name. Elisabeth Cabot wanted to give Alex and her girlfriend Olivia a home where they could settle down and raise the family she knew that Alex wanted. The problem was, by this point in their relationship, Alex and Olivia were quickly starting to decline thanks to Olivia's hesitance to be open about her sexuality, and because she didn't want to upset her mother, Alex had kept that a secret. It wasn't until after the shooting that she'd wished she'd been honest with her mom, but if it meant that she still had possession of her childhood home, to the last link she had to her mother, then she wasn't sorry.</p>
<p>She'd do whatever she had to, wait as long as she had to, to get back to New York and the life she'd missed so deeply.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alex Cabot is back...what will this mean for Kate? Stay tuned.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Welcome (Back) To New York</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alex returns to New York, with Mary by her side to help the transition.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Within an hour of leaving the house in Santa Fe, Mary and Alex arrived at the airport and quickly made their way up to the gate to board the plane. The flight took about seven hours thanks to a layover in Chicago, so the two women didn't touch down at JFK until well past midnight. Alex was exhausted, but luckily Mary already had a car waiting for them to take them to the hotel so they didn't have to wait for one to arrive. The agent had found a nice place on the Upper West Side that honored the government rate and booked adjoining rooms for her and Alex's week-long stay.</p>
<p>Alex had her meeting with the federal psychiatrist on Wednesday, but she would've been more than ready to meet with her the minute she arrived. She wanted to get all of this over with so that she could get on with her life, but all she could do was be patient until her appointment was over and her paperwork was processed.</p>
<p>In the days that followed their arrival, Alex opted to spend her time outside smelling the New York air and taking in the sights and sounds of home. It was like getting back together with an old girlfriend; it was familiar but at the same time, the effects of the years gone by were evident as she explored her once-familiar concrete jungle.</p>
<p>Of course, the week passed by in the blink of an eye, which had been known to happen in New York, and Alex found herself sitting in the psychiatrist's waiting room early on Wednesday morning. There was a plaque on the door that read "S. Gordon" and Alex could only speculate about the woman who was waiting for her on the other side. Naturally, when the door opened and Alex finally got to see her, the doctor looked nothing like what the blonde had envisioned.</p>
<p>Dr. Sarah Gordon was used to dealing with WITSEC releases and the majority of her practice focused on treating people with PTSD that stemmed from one cause or another. Sarah had treated everything from abused children and women to rape victims, to former military personnel. A third of her patients, however, were referred to her through the Federal Government. The Marshals required anyone that was being released from the program to be in a healthy and stable frame of mind before they could be integrated back into their old life. Sarah's assessments satisfied the Marshals while still keeping her patient's confidence. Sarah had been studying Alexandra Cabot's case file when the secretary announced Miss Cabot's arrival. Sarah closed the file and stood to open the door, calling out to the blonde as she sat in one of the waiting room chairs, "Miss Cabot, please come in."</p>
<p>Alex stood up and walked towards the office, Sarah stepping aside to let her walk in.</p>
<p>As she passed by her, Alex looked over the young woman. She was a little shorter than her, maybe 5'8", with long brown hair and blue eyes. If Alex had to take a guess, she figured the doctor to be about 28 or 29. All in all, she was the complete opposite of what she anticipated. She thought the doctor would be a stout older woman with graying hair pulled tightly into a bun, but she wasn't going to complain. She sat down on the leather couch near the bookcase and smiled politely, "This is a nice office."</p>
<p>Sarah smiled as she noticed Miss Cabot studying her. She knew her appearance sometimes threw people off, but she couldn't help it that she was a child prodigy and earned her Ph.D. at the age of 21. She was now 29 and was already well known and well respected in her field. She cleared her throat when Miss Cabot spoke, "Um, thank you. Would you like something to drink before we begin?"</p>
<p>"No, I'm fine thank you. I'm just ready to get this over with. No offense."</p>
<p>"None taken. It seems to be a common theme with WITSEC releases. So tell me, how long were you in the program?" Sarah already knew the answer, but she liked to start with something simple before she moved into the emotional areas.</p>
<p>"Since 2004. I was moved 3 times while I was in."</p>
<p>Sarah nodded, "I see. So five years of pretending to be someone you're not. And not just one person, but three, during that time. How did you manage it?"</p>
<p>"I did what I had to do. I followed the rules, I stuck to my story, and I did my job...I survived," she said, trying to keep all emotion out of her voice.</p>
<p>"Miss Cabot, why were you moved three times?" Sarah noticed the lack of emotion in her voice and wanted to find a way to crack through the facade she was hiding behind.</p>
<p>"The first time was because I was recognized by someone in the office where I worked. I was moved to Wisconsin and I became Emily Summers. I stayed there until there was a development in the case I had been working when I was 'killed,' so I came back to testify and put away the man who shot me," she said, her eyes staring off into space as she remembered sitting on the stand and confronting Liam Connors. "After that, I was sent to New Mexico and that's when I became Vicky Harrison."</p>
<p>"I see. You said you survived. What does that mean?" she asked, wanting to understand where Alex was coming from.</p>
<p>"I got up, I went to work, I came home, and went to bed. I'd repeat the same steps day after day, sometimes going to the store after work or the mall, but that's about it. I got by while I waited to come home," she said honestly.</p>
<p>"Yes, but there was no guarantee you would ever return to your old life, it would be natural to want to find some...security and companionship. Didn't you want that? A relationship, maybe a family someday?" Sarah was curious to know why an attractive woman like Alex would hide in her house like a hermit instead of trying to find someone to share her time with.</p>
<p>"Of course I wanted to find someone, but I also knew that I didn't want to live a lie, and being a lesbian isn't exactly easy in a small town. I think there was also a part of me that wanted to wait for Olivia so I just sort of crawled into myself and I didn't have a reason to come back out until I met Kate in Santa Fe."</p>
<p>Sarah noticed that when Alex mentioned Olivia, her eyes were impassive, but when she mentioned Kate, a spark flared briefly. It was the first sign of emotion she'd witnessed since the blonde had walked into her office. Sarah smiled, "Tell me about Kate in Santa Fe."</p>
<p>Alex smiled, "I wouldn't even know where to begin. Short version: She was in town on vacation, we met one evening and spent the next two weeks falling in love with each other. I honestly thought my heart was going to stop beating when she came back to New York." She lowered her eyes and let out a sigh, "It's been almost a year since she left me, and since I talked to her. I don't even know how to explain all of this to her."</p>
<p>Sarah was amazed at the transformation that came over Alex's face when she spoke about Kate. "So she lives in New York? That must have caused quite an uproar with your handler when she found out about her. Did Agent Shannon ever learn of Kate and where she was from?"</p>
<p>"Not her name, but she did know she was from New York. She told me was that I was not allowed to contact her and I was monitored for six months. No e-mail, no phone calls, nothing..." She didn't want this doctor to know that she had in fact found a way around Mary's orders, but only once and only to let Kate know that she'd be out of touch while she was taking care of some important things. She couldn't let her girlfriend think she'd forgotten about her.</p>
<p>Sarah nodded, "So it's been a year since you've had any contact with her? That must've been hard for you, to cut off all contact. I assume, now that you're back in your old life, that you'll try to find her. Tell me, what if you do find her and she's moved on? What if she's with someone else? How will you deal with that? I ask because I want to let you know that this doesn't have to be our only session." Agent Shannon had already told Sarah that Miss Cabot wasn't receptive to the optional extra sessions but she decided to make the offer anyway.</p>
<p>"I-I don't know...I don't believe that Kate would move on, but I suppose if I'm going to be realistic, then there is a possibility. If she has..." She cleared her throat in an attempt to keep her tears at bay. "Then I'll be happy for her and deal with my pain on my own...I've done it before."</p>
<p>Sarah felt a stab of sympathy for her patient, "I have no doubt you would be selfless enough to not stand in the way of her happiness, but if she has moved on, you don't have to deal with your pain on your own. I can help you because there are some situations you really shouldn't handle on your own." Sarah paused to let that sink in before she said, "Now, on a less emotional topic, you've been in town for a few days now, how is the transition going?"</p>
<p>"Great. I love being here...I feel like I'm alive again. I haven't felt like this since I was with Kate and now I'm home and I just keep telling myself that if I can find her, maybe we can make all of this work...I have hope for the first time in five years and it feels amazing," she replied, her face glowing from the sheer happiness she felt from being back in New York.</p>
<p>Sarah smiled, "So, other than finding Kate, do you have any plans for your life now that you're back? Any thoughts on what you will do job-wise? What about reconnecting with old friends or colleagues?"</p>
<p>Alex shrugged, "I haven't figured that out yet. I mean, I enjoy law, but I'm not sure if I want to go back to the DA's office and I'm not really a fan of private practice. As for my friends, I'm sure I'll figure it out with time, but for now, I just want to absorb everything, and then, when the time is right, I'll get in touch with them. I need to re-learn how to be Alexandra Cabot and I'm not sure I can do that with my friends around influencing me."</p>
<p>Sarah nodded, "That's very natural. It can be difficult to find your own identity when others are imposing their expectations on you." Sarah took a moment to think about how to word her next question. Sarah had read a notation that Agent Hammond had made about some rumors that he had overheard when working on the original case about Alex and Detective Benson and she'd been wondering how to work it into the session. "Um, Miss Cabot, your file mentioned that when you first entered the program, you insisted on letting two detectives know you were alive when the rest of the world thought you were dead. Detectives Elliot Stabler and Olivia Benson. Detective Stabler is a happily married man so I don't think you were trying to spare him the pain of thinking you were dead. It's my theory that you were trying to spare Detective Benson. Where does she fit in now that you are back and focused on Kate?"</p>
<p>She took a moment to think about how she wanted to answer. "Well, the thing is, Olivia isn't ready to admit to herself or her closest friends the truth about who she is. She is well within her rights to not say anything, but I don't feel comfortable with lying about who I am anymore. Kate is willing to be open and that's what I want. So I'm not sure if Olivia fits into my life at all anymore."</p>
<p>"I see...and what if she's ready now? What if she learns you're in town and she finds you and wants you back? What if she's willing to come out? Miss Cabot, have you allowed yourself to consider the possibility that Olivia might be ready to be what you need?"</p>
<p>"No, I haven't. I'm in love with Kate. That's not going to change regardless of where Olivia stands on her sexuality. If she's open, then I'll be happy for her. If not, then I'll continue to hope she finds the courage to accept who she is."</p>
<p>Sarah nodded and hoped Alex would find her happiness with Kate. She would've continued on this line of inquiry but she noticed that their time was almost over. "Miss Cabot, I'm sorry, but we're almost out of time. As I said before, if you ever need to talk to, someone impartial, I'm here."</p>
<p>Alex nodded and stood up. She extended her hand to the doctor and said, "It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope everything is satisfactory for my file."</p>
<p>Sarah shook her hand and then stood up and turned to her desk, "It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Cabot." Sarah turned back to Alex, "I sincerely hope that your transition into your old life goes smoothly, but here's my card just in case." She handed Alex her business card, which contained both her office and personal numbers. "Yes, your file will be properly settled."</p>
<p>Alex took the card and looked at it. "So that's what the S. stands for...Sarah Gordon...you know, I seem to recall a character with that name...she was on that soap...what is it? One Life to Live?"</p>
<p>Sarah grinned, "Yeah, I get that more often than you'd think. But if I recall correctly, I was born before the character was brought on the show. That's why I have only my first initial on my door, keeps people from forming preconceived notions about me." Sarah had already run into some issues with her patients because of her age and she'd grown tired of not being taken seriously. The last thing she needed was to add to that by having people recognize her name thanks to some soap opera.</p>
<p>"Well, your secret is safe with me, Dr. Gordon. Just a happy coincidence," she said with a smile. "Thank you for everything and if I ever do need to talk to someone, I'll keep you in mind." She left the doctor's office and met Mary, who was outside in the waiting room.</p>
<p>Sarah watched her leave and smiled. She liked Miss Cabot. She waved at Agent Shannon and then closed the door to go back to her notes. She was going to meet with Agent Shannon the following day to discuss Alex's mental state, but in the meantime, she went back to her desk to sort out her notes and prepare her report.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Mary Shannon had arrived about 15 minutes into Alex's session and sat down to read a magazine while she waited for Alex to finish. As the blonde approached, she stood up and asked, "So, how'd it go?"</p>
<p>"Great. She's very nice," Alex said, not wanting to reveal anything she'd talked about with Dr. Gordon.</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "Good. So, how about we go grab some lunch and you show me something in this city that you love?" Mary decided to let Alex take the lead and show off her town. It was a way for Mary to help Alex transition back to her old life.</p>
<p>Alex nodded and asked, "Are you a fan of sushi? I know a great little place near here that we can go to before I take you to one of my favorite places."</p>
<p>"Sounds good, lead the way." Mary held her hand out in a gesture for Alex to walk ahead of her.</p>
<p>They left the building and walked down the street past the courthouse, Alex stopping for just a moment as she recalled many memories about that building. She sighed heavily and apologized to Mary, "Sorry. I forgot we'd be walking by here. I used to come here almost every day for work."</p>
<p>Mary look up at the courthouse and really studied at it before she returned her gaze to Alex, "Nothing to be sorry about, this place is important to you, to who you were before you went into the program and now, you have to figure out where this place fits in with who you are now...if it even does. Come on, let's go eat I'm hungry." Mary gently tugged on Alex's sleeve in a playful manner.</p>
<p>Alex snapped out of her melancholy and chuckled, "Ok." She led her about two blocks up the street to a small sushi restaurant. There was a small crowd of people, but they were seated quickly and the waiter brought them two bowls of miso soup to enjoy while they were looking at their menus. "No matter how good the sushi was in Albuquerque, it just couldn't compare to this place."</p>
<p>Mary grinned, "Yeah well...considering that it's mostly desert, I can understand that." Mary looked over the menu and decided on something simple. She looked up at Alex, "So, tell me, what's the one thing that you held on to from your old life, that helped you through the program?"</p>
<p>"I guess if it was anything, it was the memory of my mother...that's why I was so afraid that the house in Amherst had been sold. I grew up there...I wanted to have some sort of connection to that time, to my mom. It was the only thing I had left after she died," she said, the pain still clear in her voice.</p>
<p>Mary nodded, "Then I guess it's a good thing that she transferred it to your name. I'm curious though, why did she give you the big house rather than the townhouse? It seems to me that the house in Amherst is more suitable for a family, not a single lawyer."</p>
<p>Alex took a sip of water and thought about how she was going to answer. "Well, probably because she always wanted me to settle down and have a family. She wanted me to get out of the city and have a couple of kids with a partner that would treat me right. I understand why she wanted that, but it wasn't going to happen as quickly as she wanted." She thought back to when she'd introduced Olivia to her mother and how the elder Cabot had come to accept Alex for who she was.</p>
<p>Mary smiled at the fond tone in Alex's voice, "Yeah it seems to be a common theme with moms to want grandkids and for their own children to be settled... especially the girls. Did she know about...you know, your...affinity for the fairer sex?" Mary tried to be tactful with her question.</p>
<p>"She did. I told her about Olivia about a month after we started dating and she met her one evening for dinner. She came into the city and we stayed at the townhouse overnight. She was nice to her, but I don't think she fully understood our relationship. It wasn't until much later that she accepted me for who I am and thankfully nothing changed. She loved me just as much as always and I was happy."</p>
<p>Mary noticed something in Alex's tone, "So um...now that you're back and free, I know you're going to want to find Kate, but what about Olivia?"</p>
<p>"She and I aren't good for each other. She's got her demons and I can't watch her get sucked down by them. If I see her, that's great, but I'm not going to seek her out. I can't."</p>
<p>"Ok, that makes sense I suppose." Mary paused a moment then she smiled, "Well I hope that things work out with Kate then, you deserve to be happy now that you're back in your life." Mary wondered how long it would take Alex to realize that she was using Kate's name when, as far as Alex knew, Mary shouldn't know her mystery woman's name.</p>
<p>The waiter brought their food and set it down before leaving. Alex took out her chopsticks from their package and picked up a roll, "So when exactly did you find out who Kate was?" She peered at the Marshal and popped the roll into her mouth.</p>
<p>Mary grinned as she picked up one of her spicy tuna rolls. She looked at Alex and replied, "I checked the manifest and ran each of the women's names through the DMV database. Once I had all the photos, I ran a comparison with the security footage of you and the mystery woman at the gate and came up with a name. After that, it wasn't too hard to run a background check on her." Mary brought the roll to her lips and winked as she ate it.</p>
<p>Alex shook her head, "Of course. You had all the bases covered, didn't you? I forgot how fun the chase can be." She picked up another Philadelphia roll and held it in the air for a moment, "So, are you planning to help me find her?"</p>
<p>Mary just grinned as she chewed another roll then she said, "Nope, that would be taking the easy way out and true love never takes the easy out, Alex." Mary liked the thought of Alex finding Kate on her own, despite her urge to be there when they were reunited.</p>
<p>"You don't play fair, Mary," Alex said after swallowing her food. "But you're right. I want to find my Kate on my own...it'll make it right. It just bothers me that you know everything about her, but soon I will too and she'll know everything about me, for better or worse."</p>
<p>Mary took a little bit of pity on Alex then and said, "Well, that sounds great, but I will tell you this when you find her...I think you'll be surprised about where you find her." Mary knew that Alex's reaction to Kate being a cop just like her ex, Olivia, would be something she would gladly cash in her vacation days to see.</p>
<p>Alex raised an eyebrow, "That sounds ominous. She's not a stripper, is she?" Alex knew full well that with her body, Kate could easily be an exotic dancer, and although she didn't figure her for the type, it didn't mean she wasn't.</p>
<p>Mary just shook her head, "I'm not saying anything more. Just keep an open mind. Now, where are we headed after lunch?"</p>
<p>Alex rolled her eyes, "Since you're planning to keep me in the dark, I think I'm going to do the same. You're not afraid of heights, are you?"</p>
<p>Mary smirked, she would play along, "Not that I know of, but since I've spent most of my life in Albuquerque and there's not a lot of high places there, I honestly don't know."</p>
<p>"Well, you'd better prepare yourself then, and no, I'm not taking you to the Empire State Building..." she said with a grin. They finished up their lunch and Alex was going to pay, but Mary snatched up the bill. "Hmm, let me guess, it's included in your per diem?"</p>
<p>Mary nodded, "Yup, so don't worry about it, ok?" Mary placed her credit card into the black leather case and handed it to their waitress as she passed by. As they waited for the girl to return with Mary's card, Mary looked at Alex and said, "I like this side of you, must be because you're not pretending to be someone else, huh? You know, I haven't had a lot of witnesses return to their old lives. Most of the time, they're in the program for life, never able to be who they used to be. I like that I was here to see you like this...being yourself again."</p>
<p>"It feels good to be back here. In all honesty, I'd given up on the idea of ever coming home until I met Kate. That's when I knew that somehow I'd make it home. Like fate, you know? I just felt it in my heart."</p>
<p>"She must be something really special. I'm glad you're going to have a second chance with her Alex. And, now that you're safe again and no longer in the program, there's nothing stopping you from being with her." Mary could relate to Alex's idea of fate, she sometimes let herself believe in that ephemeral concept...usually when she was trying to forget that she hadn't found that special someone yet.</p>
<p>The waitress brought back Mary's card and once everything was settled up, she and Alex left the restaurant. Alex hailed a cab and got into the back seat with Mary, "So, I know you've been keeping busy since Monday, but now that things are slowing down, are you planning to take in the sights of the city?"</p>
<p>Mary looked out the window for a moment then turned to Alex, "I had thought about seeing the real New York, but without a tour guide, I've sort of decided to stick to places like Times Square and Central Park."</p>
<p>"Hey, if you really want to see what New York is all about, I do have someone I could call that could show you around..." Alex still had several male friends and she did have someone in mind who might be good for Mary. She just figured she'd use this as a means to introduce them and let things take their course.</p>
<p>Mary thought about that for a minute then chuckled, "Thanks for the offer but I'll be fine. Tomorrow I'm going souvenir shopping since I promised my partner, Marshall, that I'd bring him back one of those I Heart NY t-shirts. After that I'm going to the Empire State Building, since that's not where we're going."</p>
<p>Where we're going is much better, I promise." The cab driver took them to mid-town and pulled up just outside of Rockefeller Center. Alex paid him and then stepped out of the car with Mary, "We're going to the top of the Rock."</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "Sounds like fun, let's go." Mary decided to let go of her Federal Agent persona and just be another tourist in New York.</p>
<p>Alex led her inside and went to the ticket booth to pick up a pair of tickets. They were taken to an elevator and along with all the other tourists, they rode up to the observation deck. Alex stepped out and smiled when she felt the sun on her face. She inhaled the scent of New York and exhaled, "Ahhh, how I've missed this."</p>
<p>Mary just grinned as she watched Alex revel in the crisp air. She turned to look out at the city and was amazed at the sight. Even without the iconic twin towers that she'd seen in almost every movie set in New York prior to 2001, the view was breathtaking. Mary kept her eyes on the skyline as she said, "Well, you're here now..." Then she turned to Alex, "How you proceed from here is up to you Alex. I hope you make the most of the second chance you're being given."</p>
<p>"I intend to," Alex said. She walked over and peered out at the city, her city. "I'm sure you're wondering why I brought you here instead of the Empire State Building. This is much quieter and it's closer to Central Park. Offers a better view of the north end of the island, which is where I've spent most of my adult life."</p>
<p>Mary nodded, "So this place has sentimental value to you. I like that...it's a part of you." Mary smiled at Alex, "You should bring Kate here, show her who you really are, let her decide for herself if she can love 'Alex Cabot' as much as she loved 'Vicky Harrison,' you know what I mean?"</p>
<p>"That's a good idea. Maybe once I track her down I can plan something special. I have so much I have to get done before I can even start looking for her, but I want to be settled when I do find her. I want to be able to invite her over and have a quiet talk together."</p>
<p>Mary just smiled. She could understand where Alex was coming from. She wanted to be on an even level with Kate. Mary took out her cell phone, opened the camera, and began taking pictures of the view. Then she turned to Alex, "Can I get one of you with the skyline behind you, sort of a success story type of thing?"</p>
<p>Alex blushed but nodded, "Sure. Right here?" She had downtown behind her since it offered more of the iconic landscape that people were used to seeing.</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "That's perfect. Hold still." Mary snapped a picture and then lowered the camera phone. "Thanks."</p>
<p>Alex chuckled, "Anytime. I'm glad I can be one of your success stories." She gazed downtown and smiled. All of it was real. She spent about half an hour up there with Mary and then said, "Do you want to go down to the gift shop? Pick up some souvenirs?"</p>
<p>Mary looked at Alex, "Are you sure you're ready to leave this spot? I don't mind if you maybe need a little more time." Mary didn't want Alex to feel rushed at this moment, plus she was enjoying herself just watching the blonde's reactions.</p>
<p>"Well...maybe a few more minutes," she said with a grin that made her look like she was five years old. She liked seeing the city rushing by down below while she was standing so still. She could just think of her and Kate being up on that roof together, Alex nervous because she was planning to ask Kate to marry her. She could see it all: the ring, the pink of the sky as the sun was setting, the look on Kate's face just before she said yes, and then the two of them kissing to seal the moment.</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "Take your time Alex."</p>
<p>After she finished putting the finishing touches on her fantasy, she took one last deep breath and said, "Okay, I'm ready now."</p>
<p>Mary smiled and turned to leave but then turned back to Alex, "Ok, lead the way.</p>
<p>Alex laughed and said, "Come on." She led the agent to the elevator and stepped in when the doors opened. The descent was quick, as was the way with New York elevators. Alex could never seem to get over how slow elevators in other places were. When they reached the bottom, she and Mary walked to the NBC store so that Mary could look around for some things to take back to New Mexico with her.</p>
<p>Mary followed Alex into the NBC store and looked around. She noticed Alex had wandered off a little bit and she decided not to trail her, opting to look around at all the merchandise from the various NBC shows on her own. She was walking around, not paying total attention to what she was looking at when she saw a t-shirt that made her grin. She walked closer to it and noticed a few shirts next to it. Mary picked up a black shirt that read "Team Jillian" and a blue shirt that read "Team Bob" and decided that her mom and her sister would like them. They both loved watching The Biggest Loser.</p>
<p>Mary kept walking and found a coffee mug with the logo for The Office on it and picked that up for Stan, her boss. She was wondering what to get for Marshall when Alex found her again.</p>
<p>"Looks like you've got some nice stuff there. Did you want to look around a little more?"</p>
<p>Mary grinned, "Yeah a few things, all I'm missing is something for Marshall and I'll be all set."</p>
<p>"Great, take your time, I'm just going to pick up one little thing. I'll be right back." She smiled and then headed off in a different direction.</p>
<p>Mary watched her walk off and she shook her head. She seemed a little like a kid in a candy store. Mary turned her head and she saw a sweatshirt with the logo for Marshall's favorite show, Friends. Mary grinned, she knew it would be perfect for him so she found one in his size.</p>
<p>Alex quickly picked out a little something for Mary and checked out so that the other woman wouldn't see what she'd bought. When Mary was finished making her purchase, Alex met back up with her and said, "I guess we should be getting back to the hotel. I'm sure you have plans for the evening."</p>
<p>Mary saw that Alex had a small bag and while she was curious, she figured that the blonde had found something for Kate. Mary wasn't the type to pry when she didn't have to so she let it go. "Um, actually, it's just going to be me, some room service, and the TV. What about you, any plans for the city tonight?"</p>
<p>"No, not really. I thought maybe I'd just stay in, but we could always do something if you don't feel like staying at the hotel..."</p>
<p>They were walking out of the building when Mary had an idea, "Actually, I'm kind of in the mood to find a bar and have a drink. Just relax and take in the natives of this strange place." Mary's voice took on a humorous tone.</p>
<p>Alex nodded, "I can arrange for that. We can go change and I'll show you a night out on the town."</p>
<p>"Sounds like a plan." Mary walked with Alex back to their hotel, requesting that they walk so she could really see the city. The blonde had said it was a bit of a walk but she gave in when Mary asked nicely, even saying please.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The two days following Alex's psych appointment and their trip to Rockefeller Center flew by and before she knew it, it was time for Mary to fly back to Albuquerque. Earlier that morning, Mary had taken Alex to Manhattan Bank and Trust and had the blonde sign all the necessary paperwork to transfer her assets from the dummy account to a new account in Alex's name. Within two hours, Alex Cabot was financially independent once again. The only thing she had left to do was take a drive up to the house in Amherst to see what, if any, repairs needed to be made to the property. One thing she did know was that she wanted all of the beds to be replaced, but she'd take care of that after dropping Mary off at the airport.</p>
<p>Once again, Alex got a gate pass and they sat at the gate to wait for the plane to start boarding. Mary turned to look at Alex after a few moments of silence, "Alex, I am very impressed with how well you've adapted back into your old life." Mary was smiling as she said it, truly proud of the blonde woman sitting next to her.</p>
<p>"I've been waiting for this to happen for over a year. New York has always been my home and I'm grateful that I got a second chance." She smiled at Mary and said, "Thank you for being here to get me settled in. As independent as I like to think I am, it was really nice to have someone by my side to do all the things that needed to be done. Do you think, maybe some time, I can come visit you in New Mexico again?"</p>
<p>Mary grinned, "You can do anything you want to do now Alex so, yeah if you want to visit me you can...I'd like that." Mary didn't think Alex would go back to New Mexico though...it would always be where she was trapped as someone else.</p>
<p>"If all goes as planned, I'd like to take Kate there on our anniversary so that we can enjoy it again, only this time I can actually be myself," she said with a smile.</p>
<p>Mary smiled, "That sounds like a very good idea. I hope you find her and that it all works out with her. You deserve to be happy now Alex, especially after everything you've been through."</p>
<p>"Thanks, Mary. I really appreciate that. I just hope that she can forgive me... I know it wasn't my choice to lie, but not everyone can get past it."</p>
<p>Mary turned to look out the window at the tarmac for a moment before she turned back to Alex, "If she loves you, if it's real, then she'll forgive you. It might not be easy, or immediate, but...it will happen." Mary knew that Kate was a cop, and cops had an inside track to things that civilians didn't. Mary hoped that this knowledge would help Kate forgive Alex for the deception.</p>
<p>Suddenly a voice came over the PA system to announce her flight and her row was among the first called. Mary stood up, "Well, it's time for me to leave and take the training wheels with me. Are you going to be ok?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, I'll be fine. Living at the hotel somehow makes life a bit more bearable, especially since I don't have to cook. It'll be harder when I get my own place. Wish me luck with that, by the way." She hugged Mary and said, "Have a safe trip and thank you for everything."</p>
<p>Mary pulled out of the hug grinning. "I have total confidence in you. Good luck with your girl. Take care of yourself Alex and stay away from the cartels ok?" Mary joked.</p>
<p>"Aye, aye," Alex said with a salute. She watched Mary as she disappeared onto the ramp and then made her way back outside to pick up a cab to go back to the hotel.</p>
<p>Mary boarded the plane and got comfortable. She was going to miss Alex Cabot but she was glad that the blonde was free to be herself again. She hoped Alex's Kate was the forgiving kind. Mary closed her eyes as the plane took off. She was heading home...a smile crept onto her face at the thought of being in her own bed later that night.</p>
<hr/>
<p>A few days later, after giving things some serious thought, Alex decided that she wanted to give Jack McCoy a call and see if she could get a job with the DA's office again. She knew that private practice wasn't really for her and neither was being a public defender. She didn't like the idea of defending guilty people, so her only other option was asking McCoy for a job with his office. She planned to be smarter about things this time around and not let her job become her entire focus, not to mention that she missed her colleagues.</p>
<p>She picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number and when prompted, she entered the extension for Jack's office. His secretary answered and Alex explained that she was a former employee looking to meet with the DA. The woman checked his calendar and scheduled her for Wednesday afternoon. Alex accepted and put the meeting into her phone. She was happy she had a few days to think things over so that she could approach Jack the right way. Tuesday night, she picked out a gray suit and light pink blouse with black stilettos and had a glass of wine to calm her down so that she could fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.</p>
<hr/>
<p>When Jack McCoy heard that his 2 o'clock appointment was with Alex Cabot, he was surprised. He had thought the former ADA was gunned down in 2003, but she'd surfaced for a very publicized trial and he, along with the rest of the legal community in New York, was stunned but pleased to hear she was alive. Jack had heard the rumors that the cartel that wanted her dead was no longer a threat and there were whispers among the political elite of the city that Miss Cabot might return to Manhattan. Jack was looking forward to seeing Alex and finding out why she wanted to talk to him. He couldn't imagine that after what she went through she would want to return to the DA's office, even though she would be a very welcomed addition.</p>
<p>McCoy was in his office waiting for Connie Rubirosa to finish the 441 motion that she and Executive DA Michael Cutter were seeking in their latest case when his secretary buzzed him to tell him that Alex Cabot was in the lobby waiting to see him. McCoy told her to let her in and he stood up as he waited. Alex walked in and smiled when she saw Jack. He had always been a great resource for her when she needed help with a case and she was thrilled that he had been elected DA in her absence. "Jack, it's great to see you," she said, walking over to give him a hug.</p>
<p>Jack returned the hug then motioned for Alex to sit down. He sat behind his desk and smiled, "Alexandra Cabot, as I live and breathe. This is quite the surprise, you look remarkably well for a ghost." Jack's smile and affable tone revealed he was "What brings you to these 'hallowed halls' Alex?"</p>
<p>Alex got comfortable in the soft leather chair and crossed one leg over the other, "Well, as unbelievable as this is going to sound, I'm here to apply for a job."</p>
<p>Jack looked at the blonde for a few moments, "You're not serious. You actually want to come back here?"</p>
<p>"Yes, but as you can imagine, I would like to avoid working with my old unit. I just don't feel comfortable with SVU anymore," she said, though there were more reasons than she was letting on, namely Olivia.</p>
<p>Jack looked at the blonde for a few moments. "That's too bad, SVU seems to have had a run of bad luck with their ADAs lately. Casey Novak had her license suspended for a year and then we brought in a rookie named Greylek who seems to be having a hard time fitting in with the squad. I'm sure they wouldn't mind it if you came back, but I can respect your decision not to return."  Jack said with a smile. He paused for a moment as he looked at his roster to see where else there was an opening. "Well, we are happy to take you back but there are only two openings for ADAs right now. One is in Appeals and the other is with the 12th Precinct's Homicide Division." Homicide was such a big division of the DA's office that it was divided up by precincts to make the caseload easier to manage.</p>
<p>Alex thought about her two options and decided that Homicide seemed like the lesser of two evils. She hated Appeals with a passion and even though Homicide could be gruesome, she would be working with detectives and doing what she had done with SVU, just without the living victims. She looked at Jack and said, "I'd like Homicide."</p>
<p>Jack grinned, "I figured you would. In that case, welcome back to the team Alex. I'll call Human Resources and tell them to expect you tomorrow to get the paperwork started so you can come back. You'll start on Monday. The Captain at the 12th is Roy Montgomery, you might want to meet with him first thing on Monday and, um, get acquainted." Then he paused a moment before he said, "I'll see what I can do about getting you your old office back...unless you want a different one..."Jack realized that maybe her old office would have too many memories lingering and she'd prefer a fresh start in that department too.</p>
<p>"Actually, I wouldn't mind something new, if that's ok," she said. She didn't want that old office, again, for many reasons. She needed a change of pace and a new office would definitely be welcomed.</p>
<p>Jack nodded, "No problem. I can't guarantee it'll be ready by Monday but I'll do my best. If you have to, you can always use one of the interrogation rooms at the precinct until I have your office sorted." Jack paused for a moment as he thought of how to ask Alex what he was thinking without overstepping his bounds. "Um, Alex, have you um...have you called anyone from the Special Victims Unit? To let them know you're back in New York I mean. From what I remember, you were a fairly tight-knit group before you...went away and you might not want them to find out you're back through the press or do you?"</p>
<p>"I haven't contacted them, no. I think I just need a little bit of time to get settled in before I call. I'd appreciate it if you would keep all this quiet. I don't want them to know that I've been assigned to the 12th precinct."</p>
<p>Jack nodded, "I'll keep a lid on it for as long as I can but Alex, you should be realistic here. You essentially, came back from the dead, there's going to be some press, so you should prepare for that." Before he could say more, there was a knock on his door and his secretary popped her head in, "Sorry Mr. McCoy but Mr. Cutter and Ms. Rubirosa are waiting for you in the conference room, along with Mr. Davidson and his new attorney Mr. Langan."</p>
<p>Jack nodded and she left the room. He turned to Alex, "I'm sorry to cut this short but I think Davidson's about to take a deal and he made it clear he won't talk unless I'm there."</p>
<p>"Of course. Thank you again for everything Jack. I'll take the weekend to consider my return strategy. Good luck," she said and then left his office.</p>
<p>Jack watched her go and sighed, she was going to have a rough road for a bit as she settled back into the job and dealt with the press but he knew she would handle it with grace. Jack went to the conference room to deal with Davidson and Langan.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alex returned back to the hotel and started to think about how and when she was going to tell her old friends that she was home. It wasn't going to be easy, that much she knew, but she figured she'd have a flash of brilliance and come up with some way to make it less painful.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Mini Family Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We meet Alex's Aunt and Uncle and her little cousin Kevin. He is a cutie pie.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Later that evening, Alex was sitting in her hotel room and thought about calling her Uncle Bill to see if he was going to be busy during the weekend. She thought it would be a good idea to sit down to dinner with him and his family and let them know that she was home. They were all she had left of her mother's family and she didn't want them to find out via the press that she had returned from witness protection. She picked up the phone and called his office, figuring that he'd still be there working.</p>
<p>Judge Bill Harriman was in his chambers at the courthouse reading the latest motion the defense had submitted for the Cuddy case. He was halfway through the first page of the motion when his phone rang. His secretary had gone home a few hours ago so he cleared his throat and picked up the phone.</p>
<p>"Judge Harriman's phone," Bill said in a gruff voice, pretending to be someone else. It was something he did to mess with anyone who would dare call him so late. His wife already knew not to call after a certain hour.</p>
<p>"Uh, hi, I'm trying to get in touch with Judge Harriman. I'm his niece, Alexandra Cabot, is he in?" she asked with some confusion. It sounded like her uncle but then again, it had been so long since she'd talked to him that maybe she remembered wrong.</p>
<p>Bill Harriman was struck dumb. He knew that voice, so there was no way it was someone playing a sick joke. He knew he was talking to his niece Alex...the one whom the whole family thought was dead until she popped up for the Connors trial. Problem was, she vanished before even he could see her. Bill took a breath and, in his regular voice said, "This is Bill Harriman, Alexandra is this really you?"</p>
<p>"Yes, it's me, Uncle Bill. I'm home, for good this time. I was just calling to see if you and the family are busy this weekend. I'd like to go out to dinner with all of you."</p>
<p>Bill felt tears come to his eyes as he listened to his favorite niece's voice. Alex's mother, his sister, had died thinking Alex was dead and Bill wished she could've lived long enough to see that her daughter was still alive. Bill sighed, "Well Beth is dragging me to this book launch party for one of her clients on Friday night, but we're free Saturday night."</p>
<p>"A book launch? For what author?" When she heard the words "book launch" she immediately thought about Richard Castle.</p>
<p>Bill thought for a moment, he wasn't exactly a fan of the writer but he'd read a few of his books. He was going mostly because it was important to his wife, but also because the mayor had said he'd be there and had asked him to make an appearance, said there was something he wanted to talk about. "Um...some mystery writer, very popular... um... Richard Castle. The new book is called Heat Wave." Bill's memory came through at the last second.</p>
<p>Alex nearly fell off the bed. She couldn't believe her luck. "Um, Uncle Bill, I know this is going to be a huge favor to ask, but is there any way you could swing an extra ticket? I'm a huge fan of his..." She crossed her fingers and hoped that he'd say yes.</p>
<p>That was a bit of a surprise to Bill. "You are? The last book I saw you reading was published in the 1800s, Alex. But I think I can get you a ticket, on one condition."</p>
<p>"Anything," she said, her voice filled with excitement.</p>
<p>Bill smiled; he remembered Alex's habit of blindly agreeing to any condition if it meant getting what she wanted. He liked that about his niece, she wasn't afraid of much. "You have to come by the house before the party for a drink and some family time, then ride to the party with us, deal?"</p>
<p>She smiled, "Deal. What time does the party start?"</p>
<p>Bill chuckled, "Just be at the house by 6 and I'll take care of everything, ok?" Bill was already thinking of the third ticket that was on his desk at home. It was originally intended for his daughter, Janice, but she'd been called out of town for a business deal so it was going to go unused until Alex called. Bill felt no guilt about his deception.</p>
<p>"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Uncle Bill. You have no idea how much this means. I'll see you Friday at six," she said and then hung up. She got up off the bed and did a mini victory lap around the room. Never had she been so happy, well, not since she and Kate were together last year.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was about a quarter to six when Alex arrived at her Uncle's townhouse. She stepped out of the car and walked up the steps to the front door. She rang the bell and waited, smiling when a young woman opened the door.</p>
<p>"You must be Ms. Cabot," the young lady said with a smile. "Please, come in."</p>
<p>"Thank you," Alex said. She assumed this woman must be hired help, though when a little boy came zipping into the foyer, she realized that the woman must be the nanny.</p>
<p>The little boy ran around Alex, almost causing her to trip, and said, "Hi cousin Alex! I'm Kevin!"</p>
<p>He stuck out a chocolate-covered hand to introduce himself and he had a matching chocolate-covered grin. Alex smiled politely and carefully took the boy's hand so she wouldn't get dirty, "Hi Kevin. Is your Grandpa Bill in the living room?"</p>
<p>He nodded and gripped her hand, dragging her into the other room. Alex figured he had to be about four. The last time she saw Janice in 2004, she was just engaged, so she'd never met her little cousin. Kevin let go of her hand and pointed, "There he is!"</p>
<p>Alex smiled and looked down at her now grubby hand, "Thank you, Kevin."</p>
<p>Bill looked up at the sound of his youngest grandson entering the room. He smiled when he saw Alex was with him. He stood up from his armchair and walked over to his long lost niece. "Alexandra, you look wonderful, come here." He held out his arms for a hug.</p>
<p>Alex smiled and hugged her uncle, careful to keep her dirty hand off of his tux. "Hi Uncle Bill, it's good to see you again."</p>
<p>Bill pulled away and saw Alex's chocolate smeared hand, chuckling, "I see Kevin marked you." Bill looked down at his grandson who was standing a few feet away just watching them. "Young man, why don't you go ask Susan to help you get cleaned up? Scoot!"</p>
<p>Kevin giggled at his grandpa, then nodded and turned to leave the room but he stopped at the doorway and turned around, looking right at Alex, "Don't go away, I'll be back, ok?" Bill smiled at the boy's question. He looked at Alex to see how she would respond.</p>
<p>"Ok, I'll stay right here, sweetie. Go get washed up," Alex said with a smile. It's not that she didn't like kids, she did. She even wanted to have one of her own someday if Kate felt the same, but she was also wearing a $700 dress and the last thing she wanted was chocolate stains on it when she met Richard Castle.</p>
<p>Bill watched as Kevin smiled so big it seemed to fill his whole face. The boy ran from the room in the direction of the kitchen with his nanny in tow. Bill turned to Alex, "As for your little problem, I think I have something here." Bill walked to the sideboard near the far wall and opened the top drawer.</p>
<p>He pulled out a box of wet wipes and handed it to Alex, "Ah, here we are, these come in very handy sometimes."</p>
<p>"I'd imagine. Little kids can be messy," she said with a smile and plucked a wipe from the box. She wiped her hand and then tossed the sheet in the wastebasket. "Is Aunt Beth still getting ready?"</p>
<p>Bill smiled, "Yes, she got out of work a little later than usual tonight, there was some sort of last-minute emergency she had to deal with at work. Have a seat Alex, I want to hear about how you're adjusting to being back home." Bill motioned to the other armchair that was across from his in front of the fire.</p>
<p>He went to the minibar and poured himself a scotch. "Can I pour you something?" he offered.</p>
<p>"Vodka and tonic, please," she said and then sat down. It felt cozy in front of the fire and she leaned against the back of the chair, careful not to mess her hair. "Well, the one thing I have to say about being home is that it's a relief. I missed the city like you wouldn't believe. Small towns are too quiet for my liking."</p>
<p>Bill poured the drinks and carried them to the chairs. He handed Alex her drink and then sat down. "Yes, I imagine for a city girl like you, a small town would bore you to tears," Bill chuckled, then he sobered, "Still, I'd rather you were bored in a small town than six feet under, you know what I mean?" Bill looked down into his drink for a moment, "I'm not saying this to make you feel guilty or anything but attending your funeral almost destroyed your mother. She wasn't the same after that day...I think she maybe even saw it as a relief when she got sick. Just before pneumonia took her, her final words were that she was happy that she was going to be with her daughter again." Bill looked back up at Alex, "She went peacefully with a sweet smile on her face. I'm glad you're alive though; I've missed you at the courthouse. Petrovsky's had it a bit too easy these last few years." Bill grinned, remembering how Alex and Lena would clash in the courtroom.</p>
<p>Alex took a sip of her drink, desperate to keep her tears away at the mention of her mother. She kept her eyes down and said, "It almost destroyed me when I found out that she died. I couldn't help but think that if I had been here, maybe she would've fought harder--that she'd want to live for-" She stopped. She couldn't choke out the rest of what she wanted to say and try as she might, a few tears did escape and streak down her cheeks. She took a breath and pushed them back, able to speak after taking another sip. "I'm sure Lena will be shocked when I walk into her courtroom for arraignment. I'm like a bad penny, I just keep coming back," she said, managing a chuckle.</p>
<p>Bill smiled as he thought of the look on Lena Petrovsky's face when Alex walked into her courtroom. He would pay big money to see it. Before he could say that though, Kevin came running back into the room and made a beeline for Alex.</p>
<p>The young boy stood in front of Alex and smiled. "You waited!"</p>
<p>She smiled back, "Yes, I did. All clean now?"</p>
<p>Kevin nodded and held out his hands, "Yup! See?" The boy waved his hands at Alex for a moment then he lowered them and said, with the honesty that only little kids can pull off, "You're prettier than your picture."</p>
<p>Alex chuckled with embarrassment and blushed like a schoolgirl, "Well, thank you. Did your grandpa show it to you?" She didn't think that Kevin would even know who she was, let alone that she was pretty.</p>
<p>Kevin shook his head, "No, my mommy has it at home. She tol' me that you were..." Kevin paused a moment to remember the word his mom had used, "away..." Kevin frowned at that thought then he smiled big, "but you camed back! Mommy's going to be happy!"</p>
<p>"I can't wait to see her," Alex said. "Maybe I can come over to your house sometime, would you want that?"</p>
<p>Kevin smiled really big, "Yeah! I could show you my toys! And you can meet my daddy too! He's really cool!" Kevin frowned a bit and then asked, "Do you have a boyfriend? If you do, you can bring him too, he can talk to my daddy while I show you my toys!"</p>
<p>Bill was watching the exchange between Alex and his grandson and it made him smile. The boy was at that age where he was curious about the world and asked a lot of questions to learn about it. When he asked about Alex's boyfriend, though, Bill wondered how Alex would answer. He'd known for years that Alex was gay and he didn't have a problem with it because he loved Alex no matter what. Bill opened his mouth to say something to change the subject but he was silenced by what he saw in Alex's eyes. He realized that she wanted to answer the question so he sat back and waited to see what she would say.</p>
<p>"Well, honey, I don't have a boyfriend. You see, there are all different types of people in this world and some of them are what we call gay. Gay means that a girl likes another girl or a boy likes another boy. I don't have a boyfriend because I'm gay, do you understand?" she asked, looking at him to see if he was following her.</p>
<p>Kevin was silent for a long time, thinking about what Alex had said. After a few minutes, he turned to his grandpa and said, "Like Susan and Wendy?"</p>
<p>Bill smiled and nodded, "Yep, like Susan and Wendy." Kevin's nanny was a lesbian who was in a long-term relationship with a Pediatric Surgeon named Wendy. Kevin turned to look at Alex and smiled, "Cool, what's her name?"</p>
<p>Alex couldn't decide how to answer him. She still thought of Kate as her girlfriend, but they'd been apart for a year and she didn't know if things were going to work out once Kate found out the truth. She realized that even if things didn't work out, Kevin wouldn't care. People broke up all the time. "Her name is Kate. She's a very wonderful woman."</p>
<p>Kevin smiled, "That's a pretty name...is she pretty too?" Kevin stepped closer and put his hand on the arm of the chair. He looked up at his pretty blonde cousin as he waited for her answer.</p>
<p>Alex scooped the boy up, the dress be damned. She could tell that he wanted to be close to her and she was more than happy to make that happen. She nodded, "She's beautiful. She is tall like me but her hair is brown and so are her eyes. She has pretty tan skin and she's very sweet."</p>
<p>Kevin rested his head on Alex's shoulder as she described Kate. He looked up at her when she was done and asked, "Will you bring her with you when you come over?" Kevin had spent the last year hearing about his cousin Alex from his mom. In the way that only little kids could, he had known that his mommy really missed and loved her cousin.</p>
<p>Alex ruffled his hair and said, "Sure, kiddo. I'll ask her, but it might be a while ok? I'm going to be very busy for a while since I just got home. But I promise that Kate is going to love you."</p>
<p>Bill watched Alex with Kevin and he loved how great she was with him. He wondered to himself if Alex had any desire to have a child of her own one day. Right then, Beth Harriman entered the room and smiled when she saw her grandson sitting in her niece's lap. "Alexandra, it is so good to see you."</p>
<p>"Hi Aunt Beth, you look beautiful," Alex said with a brilliant smile. She picked up Kevin and walked over to hug her aunt. "I've missed you."</p>
<p>Beth hugged her niece and smiled at the sight of her holding Kevin. "Thank you, darling. I've missed you too. I see Kevin has claimed you as his own." Beth turned to Bill and winked.</p>
<p>"It seems so," Alex said. "He's absolutely adorable." She kissed him on the cheek and then set him down but kept hold of his hand.</p>
<p>Kevin smiled as he held Alex's hand. He was glad that she hadn't tried to let him go just cause the grownups were here. Bill watched his grandson's face and realized the boy had a tiny crush on Alex. Beth noticed it too but she didn't say anything. "Well, I hate to tear you away from each other, but the party will be starting soon and we should get going."</p>
<p>Alex carefully knelt down and smiled at the little boy, "I have to get going now with your Gran and Grandpa, but I promise I'll come by to visit ok? Give me a hug." She embraced the little boy and then scooted him off to his nanny.</p>
<p>Bill watched his grandson leave with a smile on his face. The hug, with the promise that Alex would visit him again, had left the boy in a happy mood. Bill turned to Alex, "Alex, I think you just got yourself a new little admirer." Bill chuckled.</p>
<p>"He's a sweetheart. Janice is very lucky," she said. She could imagine her and Kate with their little boy or girl, a sweet little kid just like Kevin filled with curiosity and awe and none of the weight of the world on their shoulders yet.</p>
<p>Bill and Beth both beamed with pride and love. "Yes, he is such an adorable kid. He's our youngest grandchild. Janice is upstate right now for work and his father works for one of the companies downtown, so he goes on several business trips every year. We're keeping Kevin with us while his parents are away," Beth explained. Then she reminded them that they had to leave.</p>
<p>Bill ushered them out to the car that he'd hired for the night so none of them would have to worry about drinking and driving. They settled into the back seat car but before they drove away, Alex looked back at the house and saw Kevin in the window watching them leave, the sadness on his face over watching Alex go, tore a little at her heart. She made a promise to herself that she'd come by to see him again soon.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Uncle Bill Harriman was mentioned briefly in Season 2 on Alex's first episode of SVU.  Alex used him to get a warrant for a major defense contractor's files. Hehehe...connections.  Also, since Kevin is only 4, his way of talking isn't exactly perfect but it's accurate for his age.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Reconnecting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>At the Nikki Heat book launch party...Kate gets a blast from her past and Alex gets a chance to make things right with Kate.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alex was standing in line to meet Richard Castle so that she could have him sign the novel that Kate had left behind in her care almost a year ago. <i>Between Heaven and Hell</i> was an extremely rare find and Alex only found out exactly how rare when she went online to cruise sites that sold rare and out of print books.</p>
<p>Getting it signed would not only add to its value, but it would make it personal for Kate and Alex felt it was only fitting that she be the one to do it. The blonde was dressed in cocktail attire: a gorgeous low-cut purple dress that cinched at the waist and hugged her hips before falling down to her knees. She had on a pair of black Manolos and her hair was loosely curled in ringlets that fell down just below her shoulders. Her eyes were a smoky gray with a purple highlight, which made her blue eyes appear darker in hue. All in all, she looked amazing and she hoped it would be enough to charm Mr. Castle.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Rick Castle was in his element. Sure he loved chasing down criminals with Detective Beckett, but like any artist, his true joy came from the adulation of the masses and tonight was no exception. Rick loved the spotlight and while he was torn between writing a second Nikki Heat novel, which would keep him working with Kate Beckett, and taking over the James Bond franchise, for tonight, he could put that out of his head for a bit and focus on his fans.</p>
<p>Rick looked up from the cleavage he'd just finished signing and was caught in the dark blue gaze of a very beautiful blonde. Rick smiled and turned on the charm, "Hello there, what's your name, beautiful?"</p>
<p>"I'm Alex, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Castle. I'm new to your work, but I must say that I've thoroughly enjoyed it," she said with a charming smile. She held out the book she was holding and asked, "Would you mind signing this for a very close friend of mine?"</p>
<p>Rick smiled, "Well, Alex, it's always great to meet a new fan." Rick reached for the book in her hand expecting to see the now-familiar <i>Heat Wave</i> cover. He was surprised when he saw that it wasn't <i>Heat Wave</i> but rather a copy of his first book.</p>
<p><i>Between Heaven and Hell</i> wasn't a well-known title, only really hard-core fans even knew about it. Rick looked up at Alex, "Wow, this brings back memories. Only true fans even know about it. Where did you find this?"</p>
<p>"A bookstore out west. My friend and I were walking by when she spotted it in the window and of course she had to have it. She's the one who got me hooked, so I wanted to come and get this signed for her as a surprise," she said with a grin.</p>
<p>Rick kept his smile in place and said, "Well you both have great taste in books. Whom should I make it out to, you or your friend, or both?"</p>
<p>Rick would've asked this woman out but there was something about her that stopped him. She was beautiful, well-spoken, and definitely single if the lack of a wedding band was any indication but there was something about the way she spoke about her friend that raised a red flag. He decided to tone his flirting down, but he still smiled and worked his charm as he got down to business.</p>
<p>"To her, please. I'm planning to get my own copy of Heat Wave signed later," she said trying to flatter him and keep things flowing. "Her name's Katherine with a K..." She thought it would look more elegant on the page if she used Kate's full first name.</p>
<p>Rick smiled and opened the book to the title page. He raised his pen and wrote, <i>'To Katherine, The best things we can cling to between heaven and hell are good friends and really good books. Don't let either of them go. Love, Rick Castle.'</i></p>
<p>Rick liked to make each book he signed personal instead of just writing his name on a page. Rick closed the book and handed it back to Alex. "There you go, and when you're ready for me to sign <i>Heat Wave</i> just come find me, "Rick winked.</p>
<p>"I will. Thank you very much, Mr. Castle. I'll let you get back to the party now," she said and then headed off in the direction of the bar to get a glass of wine. She took a seat and smiled to herself for a job well done. She slipped the book into her bag and sipped her wine while she looked around at the other guests, checking to see if she recognized anyone.</p>
<p>Rick watched her go and turned to the next person in line. He signed a few more books before he went over to a table off to the side to sit down. He sighed when he looked around and noticed Kate wasn't there yet and he wondered if she'd even show up at all. He knew she didn't exactly like all the publicity that surrounded Nikki Heat and she did whatever she could to avoid it whenever possible.</p>
<p>Tonight, however, it seemed like Kate was going to brave the sharks because no sooner had Castle finished his thought when he heard the paparazzi at the doors calling out, "Hey, it's Nikki Heat!"</p>
<hr/>
<p>The party was in full swing by the time the limo that Castle had sent for Kate pulled up to the party. She hadn't wanted to use it but she'd caved in the end because it was easier than arguing about it.</p>
<p>Kate had chosen a navy blue Herve Leger dress that reached mid-thigh and hugged her body like a glove. It had a decently low neckline that showed off a bit of cleavage and a triangle-shaped cut out in the back that basically prohibited the use of a bra. She'd accented the dress with a chain necklace, dangly earrings, and minimal makeup.</p>
<p>Kate took a deep breath and stepped out of the limo and walked towards the entrance. The news media was out in full force and the flashbulbs going off in her face were a bit intimidating, but when one of them shouted, "Hey, it's Nikki Heat!" Kate just wanted to turn and run the other way. Of course, she didn't and she made it past the cameras and into the party.</p>
<p>She wasn't comfortable with all that attention and so she looked around for a familiar face. She spotted her Captain and she smiled as she headed in his direction. The cameras didn't follow her thankfully and she was able to have a private conversation with her boss.</p>
<p>Captain Montgomery smiled as he walked up to Beckett. "You clean up nice, Detective."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Thank you, sir."</p>
<p>"Castle's going to be happy to see you. Have you read the dedication?" He knew the writer had a thing for Kate, everyone knew it, and the dedication was just more of a confirmation.</p>
<p>Kate was confused, "No. What does it say?"</p>
<p>Montgomery just smirked, "Go see for yourself. Excuse me." He left her to go talk to someone else.</p>
<p>Kate walked over to one of the towers of books and casually picked one up to look at the dedication inside.</p>
<p>On the other side of the room, Rick had spotted Kate and was about to walk up to her when his book agent, Paula, intercepted him. The conversation delayed him a bit, but it was worth it to find out he'd gotten the official offer for the Bond series. He made his way over to Kate then, unaware that someone else's eyes were already on the lovely detective.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alex was leaning against the bar watching Kate, a smile on her face as she studied the look on the brunette's face as she looked over Castle's book. Alex couldn't believe how beautiful Kate looked in that gorgeous blue dress and her fondness for Castle's latest release reminded the blonde of that day in the bookstore when Kate had found the book that Alex now held in her hand. New or old, she treated Castle's books with equal respect and Alex felt her heart flutter.</p>
<p>When she noticed Castle walk up, however, something inside of her chest tightened. If their proximity was any indication, Kate and Castle knew each other and appeared friendly, a little too friendly. Alex watched them for several moments, a great fear gripping her that maybe Kate hadn't been as honest about her sexuality as Alex had believed and she'd somehow found a way to make her favorite author fall for her the same way Alex had.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Rick slipped in beside Kate and said, "Hey."</p>
<p>Kate was startled from her thoughts and turned, flustered, to Castle, "Hey, I...I was just..." Kate paused, "The dedication is...wow. Thank you." For some reason, Kate found it difficult to admit to Castle that she loved his work...probably because she knew it would go right to his head and he'd take it to mean she was interested in him.</p>
<p>Rick grinned at seeing Kate flustered but sobered up when she thanked him. He felt the need to make it clear the dedication wasn't just words. "I mean it, Kate. You are extraordinary." Rick caught Kate's gaze and held it for a moment.</p>
<p>For those few seconds, Rick saw the possibilities of what he and Kate could have together and it scared him a little. What would he do if things ended badly and he lost Kate from his life forever? He realized that he couldn't let himself go there because Kate's friendship was more important to him than taking a chance at romance with the brunette. He suddenly broke the silence and moved on to a safer topic, "Listen, I was thinking...what if the wife got on to the affair?"</p>
<p>"Melissa Talbot, a killer?" Beckett's tone betrayed her disbelief in that theory.</p>
<p>Despite her tone, Castle ran with it, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."</p>
<p>Kate thought about it for a second and she had to admit that it did have some merit, "Well, anything's possible. I didn't see it that way."</p>
<p>Castle tried to joke it off, "You're just saying that because you've never been scorned." Castle's tone was confident but slightly off-hand.</p>
<p>Kate wondered if it was that obvious that she was feeling a bit...let down...by the current status of her love life. "What makes you say that?"</p>
<p>"Oh, come on. What man has ever turned you away?" Castle's tone implied that he thought he was giving a compliment.</p>
<p>Kate's mind went not to a man but to a woman: Vicky Harrison. They'd had two weeks of bliss, declared their love for one another, and then, after all of that, Vicky had only sent one brief e-mail before going silent for nearly a year. All in all, it was enough to make Kate feel pretty turned way. In Kate's opinion, that e-mail, coupled with the silence must've been Vicky's way of letting her go. She didn't like it, but there was very little she could do about it.</p>
<p>Kate decided to change the subject once again. She took a breath and said, "So, any word on a certain British secret agent who shall not be named?" Kate knew Castle was superstitious about saying Bond's name until the deal was done.</p>
<p>Castle raised his finger to his lips and then took a quick look around to make sure no one was listening in. When the coast was clear, he leaned in close to Kate's ear and said, "I got the official offer."</p>
<p>Kate couldn't believe it, "Wow! Congratulations!"</p>
<p>Castle demurred, "Well, I haven't accepted it yet."</p>
<p>"But you're going to, aren't you?" Kate knew this was a great opportunity for a writer like Castle. Plus if he was no longer tagging along on crime scenes, she might be able to admit that she was a hardcore fan.</p>
<p>Castle was a little confused, "You think I should?" He'd hoped Beckett would ask him to stay, even write another Nikki Heat book.</p>
<p>Kate played it off, not wanting to let Castle know she'd miss it if she didn't have him around. She didn't want to stand in the way of such a big opportunity. "Yeah, I mean, is there a reason why you wouldn't?"</p>
<p>Castle wanted to be sure, "So you'd be okay if I didn't write another Nikki Heat story?"</p>
<p>Kate gave a small laugh, "Sure, why wouldn't I? It's not like I asked you to write the first one." Kate tried to play it off, not wanting to get into a fight over Nikki Heat, but knowing it might be inevitable.</p>
<p>Castle was a little hurt, "You know a lot of people would feel honored that someone would choose to write a book based on them." He honestly thought that Kate secretly liked the idea of being the basis for Nikki Heat and was flattered that he'd picked her despite her insistence that the opposite was true.</p>
<p>Was he serious? Kate shook her head and scoffed, "You expect me to feel honored?"</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>"Castle, do you have any idea how much grief I've had to put up with over this Nikki Heat thing?" It was hard enough for her to be taken seriously as a cop because she was a woman, but then Nikki Heat was born and suddenly Kate had to work twice as hard to earn the same respect as her male counterparts. To put it lightly, she hated it.</p>
<p>"Gee I'm sorry." Castle's tone was unapologetic and a little sarcastic.</p>
<p>Kate was frustrated now and a little upset too, "I'm not asking you to be sorry. I'm just..." Kate didn't know how to finish that thought so she started a new one, "Just do whatever you want. That's what you always do anyway."</p>
<p>Suffice it to say that things quickly got out of hand between the two of them and by the end of it Castle only had one thing left to say. "You know what? I'm sorry that you've suffered so much because of me, but I'm glad I know how you feel. I wasn't sure how I was going to say this because I didn't want to hurt you, but the simple fact is, there isn't enough depth to the character, so I'm not planning to write anymore Nikki Heat novels." Of course, he was lying, but he was so upset that he just wanted to hurt her feelings as much as she'd hurt his.</p>
<p>Naturally, Kate saw right through his act and replied, "Oh, there's plenty of depth to the character. She just needs a better writer to tap into that." She knew that she was hitting below the belt, but she was so pissed that she just didn't care.</p>
<p>Rick absorbed the blow as Kate stared him down but rather than let it get any more out of control, they both decided to walk away and cool off for a little while.</p>
<p>Castle headed to the table where his mother and daughter were sitting and enjoying the party. Alexis and his mom always managed to cheer him up.</p>
<p>Kate headed to the bar for a drink; she definitely needed one after that exchange. Kate ordered an apple martini and stood at the end of the bar to nurse her drink while she tried to calm down.</p>
<hr/>
<p>She was so absorbed by her thoughts, both of Castle's imminent departure from her life and the memory of Vicky's e-mail and how the silence that followed had broken her heart, that she didn't notice it when someone sat down next to her.</p>
<p>Alex could barely contain her smile. She had seen her walk away from Richard Castle looking very irritated and that's when Alex knew that he stood no chance with her girl. She watched Kate for a few moments as the brunette sipped her drink and when she couldn't stand it anymore, she decided to break the silence, "You look beautiful..."</p>
<p>Kate rolled her eyes and was about to read this woman the riot act when her eyes landed on a painfully familiar face and her voice completely abandoned her. She just stared, open-mouthed, at the one woman she'd prayed for almost a year to see again. It was Vicky.</p>
<p>Kate stood there doing a damn good imitation of a fish before her senses returned to her. She narrowed her eyes, closed her mouth, and then quickly turned around to march to the ladies' room. She couldn't handle seeing Vicky, not then, not so soon after her fight with Castle and being reminded that the blonde had, in essence, abandoned her.</p>
<p>Kate stood at the sink in the ladies' room, her hands on the counter bracing her, as her head hung down. She was trying to take deep breaths to calm herself, but the panic suddenly returned when she heard the door swish open. She closed her eyes and waited for Vicky's familiar voice.</p>
<p>"Kate?" Alex asked softly as she walked into the bathroom. She walked over to the brunette and lowered her eyes, "Kate, please, look at me... please?" She knew that Kate would be upset, but she needed to look into those brown eyes and explain why she'd been so silent.</p>
<p>Kate took a deep breath and then lifted her head to face Vicky. She arched her eyebrow and stood silently, waiting to see what the blonde had to say. At that moment, Kate decided she wasn't going to make it easy for Vicky to win her back. She was going to make her work for it.</p>
<p>"I am so sorry..." she said, her blue eyes locking with Kate's. "I know you must hate me after almost a year of silence, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I have a very good reason for why it happened."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that and replied in a low voice, "I don't hate you, Vicky, but I can't imagine there's a good reason for cutting off the person you claimed to love for almost a year...for breaking someone's heart."</p>
<p>Immediately the tears came to Alex's eyes, "I didn't mean to break your heart, Kate. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you; I swear on my mother's grave, I wouldn't. Please, let's go somewhere and talk. I need to tell you everything."</p>
<p>Kate almost caved when she saw Vicky's eyes tear up. She didn't want to be the cause of this woman's pain, but then she remembered all those nights she'd cried over Vicky and she straightened her spine. The restroom was empty so she went to the door and locked it.</p>
<p>She turned to face the blonde, "Tell me now. Give me one good reason why I should go anywhere with you and we'll leave. If you can't, I'm walking out alone."</p>
<p>Alex took a deep breath and then gazed deeply into Kate's eyes again, "Because the woman you met in New Mexico and the woman you're standing with right now, they're two different people. When I was there, I was being protected by the federal government from a cartel here in New York City that wanted to kill me..."</p>
<p>Kate looked at Vicky as she thought about what she was telling her and she realized it kind of made sense. Vicky had never really talked about herself during those two weeks, but Kate hadn't thought anything of it at the time. Suddenly something clicked in her mind and Kate asked in a hushed tone, "If that's true then, who are you, really? I mean was everything that happened during those two weeks a lie?" Kate felt her heart crack a bit wider at the thought that she had fallen for an illusion.</p>
<p>"My name is Alexandra Cabot. I was an Assistant District Attorney before I was put into the program. I was moved to New Mexico after I came back to testify against the man who shot me and given a new identity. And no, not all of it was a lie. I was honest about everything that I could be honest about. The only lies were the ones I had to tell."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that for a moment. "Alexandra Cabot. You're a lawyer?" Kate knew there were more important things to focus on but those things were too heavy at the moment. Instead, she focused on something mundane.</p>
<p>"Yes, a prosecutor. I worked with Manhattan SVU for four years before I was sent away. I've been with the DA's office for a while longer." She gave Kate some time to absorb everything and then asked, "So, will you come with me so that I can finish explaining everything?"</p>
<p>Kate took that in, recognizing the department the blonde had mentioned. SVU was the sex crimes unit and she knew from what she'd heard that it was a tough unit. Live victims and broken women. Kate took a breath and asked, "Where did you have in mind?</p>
<p>"There's a coffee shop near here. It should be quiet this time of night, especially with the party."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Let's go then." Kate unlocked the door and opened it, allowing the blonde to exit first. Kate followed her out and they walked back into the party, but before Alex could take more than three steps towards the exit, Kate remembered the photographers at the front doors and grabbed the blonde's bicep, "Um, Vic-Alex, let's go this way." Kate began leading Alex out of the main room and over to a side exit.</p>
<p>Alex smiled and went with Kate, the feel of the other woman's hand on her arm comforting as they made their escape. They walked up to a cab that was waiting by the curb and got in. Alex told the driver where to go and within a couple of minutes, they were outside the cafe. Alex paid the driver and held out her hand for Kate. They went inside and instantly every eye in the place was on them. Alex blushed, "I forgot, we're in formal wear..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "Don't worry about it, this is New York, no one will care in a minute." Sure enough, the few people in the place soon went back to their business as the ladies headed for the counter. Kate ordered two white hot chocolates with whipped cream and paid the girl behind the counter before they went to a table in the corner. The lady said she'd bring the drinks to their table, so Kate went to sit down and waited for Alex to join her. Once she was seated, Kate said, "Sorry about the sneaky exit from the party but the photographers at the front door make me uncomfortable."</p>
<p>"It's ok, I know exactly what you mean. I used to hate being mobbed outside of the courthouse, but eventually, I just learned to keep on walking." She again looked at Kate, "I meant what I said at the party. You look beautiful."</p>
<p>Kate felt herself blush against her will. "Thank you." Then she cleared her throat and continued, "But don't think you can compliment your way out of this hole you dug for yourself. You still have some explaining to do." Kate was determined not to give in too easily to this woman and her beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous smile.</p>
<p>"I wouldn't want it any other way," she said, partly joking, but partly serious. She didn't want Kate to make it easy for her because on some level she felt she deserved to fight for the woman she loved. Just as she was about to start, the barista brought over their drinks and set them down before returning to the counter. Alex smiled, "Just like the first time, huh?"</p>
<p>Kate looked down at their drinks and remembered their first meeting at the club and then leaving to go to a cafe. She smiled, "Yeah except this time I'm not as naive as I was then. I want the truth Alex, now please." Kate needed to know if the woman she had fallen for was the same as the woman that was sitting across from her. Kate was glad Alex hadn't asked any questions about why Kate was at the party and why she avoided the photographers. She wasn't ready yet to reveal her connection to Rick Castle and Nikki Heat.</p>
<p>"Ok. When you came to New Mexico, I'd been there for a little over six months. I got the job at the gallery and they set me up in that house. I didn't have much that was really mine because every time you're moved, you leave practically everything behind. The photos, the movies, the books, those were all mine. I shopped around and did my best to make the place feel like home." She stopped to take a breath and then trudged on, "There were some things I told you that weren't true. My name, obviously, and where I was from. Anything having to do with New York and how I related was also untrue. But the other things, my affinity for Grace Kelly, loving the food in New Mexico, my love for you...all of that was real."</p>
<p>Kate took that in, it seemed to make sense but there was something that bothered her, "So, did you know that you would be returning to your life? Or did you make those promises of us being together here in New York, living together and being happy, knowing that you might be lying?"</p>
<p>"I didn't know 100% that I'd be coming home, but in my heart, I knew that I'd do anything to get back to you. Even if it meant risking my life, I couldn't let you go, Kate."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that, then she got a bad feeling, "Wait, are you still in danger? Did you leave witness protection before the threat was gone?" Kate was suddenly scared that Alex had put her own life in danger to find her. While it had an air of romanticism, Kate knew she'd never want the woman she loved to risk her life for her.</p>
<p>"No, I'm fine, honey. The threat is gone and I'm home for good. In fact, that's all I've been doing since I got back was getting settled into my old life. I'm looking for a place to live, I got a job, and trying to find you. It was a little hard without knowing your last name, you know," Alex teased.</p>
<p>Kate took that in. "Um...how um...how long have you been back?" Kate wanted to know how long Alex had waited before trying to find her...not that she had found her, per se. It was more like she'd stumbled onto her at the Nikki Heat party, which brought up another question, "And why were you at the launch party? How did you even manage to get an invitation to the party?"</p>
<p>"I've been back a little over two weeks," she said without feeling bad about it. She had been looking for Kate, but she had no idea where to even start looking and she was grateful that she'd run into her at the party. She couldn't stand being away from her any longer. "And I was at the launch party because I received an invitation. I...have connections."</p>
<p>Alex's cryptic answer of having 'connections' reminded Kate of Castle's typical smug answer of having 'a guy' in almost every corner of the city, and she rolled her eyes, "Connections? Really?"</p>
<p>"Yes. My uncle is a judge and he happens to be very close to the Mayor. The Mayor is a huge Castle fan, so when my uncle asked him if he could swing a spare ticket, he gladly obliged."</p>
<p>Kate rolled her eyes again as she thought, "Great, the mayor, again." The mayor was the one who'd forced Castle on her in the first place. Kate took a sip of her hot chocolate before she said, "Yeah I know all about His Honor's fetish for Castle. But why would you want to go to a launch party for one of Castle's books? The last time I saw you, you weren't a fan of his." Kate paused, "Or was that one of the things you had to lie about too?"</p>
<p>"No, I didn't lie about that. I wasn't a fan until you turned me on to him. I read through the book you gave me twice and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised the first time around." She reached into her bag and pulled out the book that Kate had left in her care and opened it carefully to take out Kate's letter.</p>
<p>Kate's eyes widened a little as she recognized the book and the envelope that Alex held in her hand. "You...you kept them both, all this time?"</p>
<p>Alex chuckled, "Of course I did. Look at this envelope...I read it almost every night before I went to bed so that I could dream about you once I fell asleep."</p>
<p>Then she opened the book to the dedication and said, "This was the real reason I went to the party. I wanted Castle to sign it for you so that it would be yours forever. I hope you don't mind."</p>
<p>Kate reached out and carefully took the book in her hands. She turned it around to read the inscription, <i> 'To Katherine, The best things we can cling to between heaven and hell are good friends and really good books. Don't let either of them go. Love, Rick Castle.'</i></p>
<p>She felt the tears well up in her eyes and she took a moment to appreciate the irony of the moment. Castle had, unwittingly, nudged her towards Alex. Kate looked up at the blonde and for the first time since she'd seen her at the party, Kate allowed herself to feel all the love she had for her in her heart. Kate had locked away her feelings for Vicky, or Alex, as a way of staying sane after that e-mail she'd gotten almost a year ago. It was the only way she could still function in her job. But now, she let it loose and realized that no matter what had happened in the past, no matter what lies or misconceptions had existed between them because of Alex's situation in Witness Protection, she still loved this woman and still wanted a life with her. Kate smiled as she leaned forward and, without a word, pressed a light kiss to Alex's lips. It was brief but it was enough for Kate to know that it would be just the beginning. Kate smiled as she pulled away, "Of course I don't mind, it's a beautiful gesture, Alex."</p>
<p>"No matter what the situation, my love for you is the most real thing in the world, Kate. Nothing in heaven or on earth is going to stop me from loving you." She took the brunette's hand and squeezed it tightly, "It was like my world stopped when you had to come back and all I did during that time was survive. I had to so that I could get back to you."</p>
<p>Kate smiled and, seeing they had finished their drinks, she said, "I love you too Alex. I never stopped loving you. What do you say we get out of here and go somewhere more...private, where we won't stand out so much in this formal wear, okay?"</p>
<p>"I think that sounds like an amazing idea," she grinned and stood up, following Kate outside.</p>
<p>Kate led Alex out to the street and then pulled out her cell phone. She made a call, only giving her name and the name and address of the cafe before hanging up the phone. She turned to Alex and said, "It'll be a few minutes. In the meantime," Kate grinned and walked back to the wall of the cafe. She grinned at Alex and said, "Come here?"</p>
<p>Alex nodded and got very close to Kate, her heart racing the same way it did that night back in Santa Fe. She touched Kate's cheek and said, "I love you."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she reached out and pulled Alex closer to her. She leaned forward and brought their lips together. Their kiss was like a cool glass of water after a long trek through the desert. Kate quickly lost herself and indulged in the passion she'd been missing for far too long.</p>
<p>Alex held onto Kate tightly, never wanting to let go just in case this was all a dream. She explored the familiarity of Kate's lips, her tongue, her mouth, and everything came flooding back to her. All the passion and desire was there and she was grateful that they were going someplace private because she needed Kate more than she needed her next breath.</p>
<p>In the middle of her haze, Kate dimly registered the honking of a horn. She reluctantly pulled away and glanced past Alex. The limo that Castle had booked for her for the night was sitting by the curb. The driver got out and stood by the rear passenger door.</p>
<p>Kate smiled and turned back to Alex, "Our ride's here. Come on, let's go." Kate neatly stepped aside and grabbed Alex's hand and led her to the limo. Kate nodded to the driver and she let Alex slide into the back seat. She turned to the driver and said in a low voice, "Just take us back to my place ok?"</p>
<p>The driver nodded and Kate got into the car. The door closed behind her and the driver went around to the front of the car.</p>
<p>Kate turned to Alex and slid closer, but before Alex could ask where they were going or why they were in a limo, Kate was kissing her again. Kate shifted and straddled Alex, settling into her lap as she put her hands on the back of the seat for balance. Kate slipped her tongue into Alex's mouth and tasted her again, moaning a little as she reacquainted herself with the familiar flavor.</p>
<p>Alex put her hands on Kate's back and touched her skin thanks to the cutout of the dress. The partition was safely up and the windows were darkly tinted, so Alex knew that anything they did would be perfectly safe. She hiked Kate's dress and lightly scratched the brunette's firm thighs while they kissed, her own body humming with anticipation.</p>
<p>Kate felt Alex's hands on her thighs and she felt herself get wet. She broke off the kiss and began running her lips down Alex's neck. Kate was happy to learn that the neck she'd loved to lick and kiss and suck still tasted the same. Kate pulled away for a moment and looked into Alex's eyes, "I've missed you so much. I want you so bad. I want you in my bed, tonight, please?"</p>
<p>Alex's eyes were dilated from the sheer pleasure of the moment and she nodded, "You don't have to ask, Kate. There's no place else I want to be except where you are and there's nothing I want to do more than make love to you until you can't keep your eyes open anymore."</p>
<p>Kate grinned at Alex's response. She would've kissed her again but she felt the limo slow down then stop. Kate turned and looked towards the window. Despite the tint and it being dark outside, Kate clearly saw the neon sign of the bar that was next to her building. Kate sighed, "Perfect timing, we're here. Come on baby, let's go inside and you can back up your words."</p>
<p>Kate slowly climbed off of Alex's lap just in time for the driver to walk around and open the door. Kate stepped out and thanked him, letting him know she was in for the night so he was off duty. The driver nodded and then closed the car door after the blonde stepped out. He tipped his hat at the women then got back in the limo and drove away. "Come on," Kate said with a smile as she grabbed Alex's hand again and led her into the building. She managed to get the door to her apartment open despite Alex's attempts to distract her.</p>
<p>Once they were inside, Alex took the kid gloves off and pursued Kate, wanting to get her naked and onto the bed as soon as humanly possible. She pinned the brunette against the wall and darted her hand under the dress while her lips attached to Kate's neck. She could feel her girlfriend's arousal through her panties and pulled back to smile, "You're wet...good." She was about to go back to kissing Kate's neck when a photo on the wall caught her eye. It was Kate and she was in police uniform. Slowly, Alex's hand stopped rubbing and she was almost frozen, "Oh my God..."</p>
<p>Kate was lost in the haze of her arousal. She began grinding her hips against Alex's hand, smiling when Alex began to rub her through her panties. She was on the verge of complete surrender when she felt Alex stop moving. She heard the blonde's shocked, "Oh my God..." and Kate fought through the haze to ask, "What's wrong baby? Why'd you stop?"</p>
<p>Alex pulled back and looked at her again, "Are you a cop?" The shock was clear on her face.</p>
<p>Kate frowned. The question was just so random. She cleared her throat and said, "Um, I'm a detective actually, but yeah I'm a cop. Why?" Kate didn't understand why Alex looked so shocked. Yeah, she hadn't told her but most people didn't react like that when they found out she was a cop.</p>
<p>Alex pulled away from Kate and went to find the couch. She felt dizzy and needed to sit down before she collapsed right there at Kate's feet. How could this have happened? Alex couldn't figure out how she hadn't realized or maybe...she did and that's what brought her closer to Kate. All she knew was that she had to take a minute to sort this out before they did anything.</p>
<p>Kate watched, puzzled, as Alex walked to the couch. The look on the blonde's face was something Kate usually saw when she had to tell someone that their husband or boyfriend was a serial killer. Kate got nervous and slowly walked over to the couch. She decided Alex needed some space so she sat down in the armchair.</p>
<p>Kate looked at Alex and asked, "Alex, what's going on? Why do you look like I just told you I'm a serial killer who paints clowns in her spare time?" Kate's attempt at levity seemed to fall short so she waited silently for Alex to respond.</p>
<p>"You're a cop," she said quietly. "A detective..."</p>
<p>Kate nodded, "Yeah..."</p>
<p>"Wow. Of all the things in the world I was expecting, this was the last..." Alex said with a weak chuckle.</p>
<p>Kate was confused. She didn't see why it mattered that she was a cop. She remembered then that Alex had said she used to be an Assistant District Attorney before she was put into the witness protection program, maybe that was why she was having a problem with her being a cop. Kate figured that Alex must've had some bad experiences with the cops she had worked with when she was an ADA. Kate sighed, "Alex, can you please tell me why the fact that I'm a cop is bothering you so much?" Kate needed to know the truth.</p>
<p>Alex bit her lip and thought about the best way to tell her about Olivia. She mulled it over for a few minutes and then said, "Well, I used to date a detective, and...it ended very badly."</p>
<p>That wasn't what Kate was expecting to hear and it surprised her that, just hearing about someone that Alex had dated, caused jealousy to eat at her stomach. Kate didn't like the thought of Alex being with someone else and she thought back to those two weeks in New Mexico, remembering all the little moments when she saw someone flirt with Alex or look at her in a certain way and how jealous she had felt.</p>
<p>Kate idly wondered if the relationship with this detective was ended by Alex going into Witness Protection, so she asked, "Do you, um...do you still love this detective?"</p>
<p>Alex struggled, "Yes, but it's not...romantic love. We were friends first and I'll always have feelings for her, but I'm in love with you, Kate."</p>
<p>Kate looked away then. While it thrilled her to hear that Alex was in love with her, she couldn't get past the thought that she still had feelings for her ex. Kate was scared that this detective would come back into Alex's life and steal her away...especially if the only reason they broke up was that Alex went into Witness Protection. Kate had to know, "Why...um...why did you break up?"</p>
<p>Alex sighed, "Because she couldn't deal with who she was and I didn't want to be her dirty, little secret. I'm not saying that I expected her to come out on the Jumbotron in Times Square, but she couldn't even tell her closest friends."</p>
<p>Kate nodded. She could understand the frustration that came with dating someone who wouldn't even come out of the closet long enough to tell her friends. Lanie was her best friend and she knew that Kate was gay, but she still liked to tease Kate about Castle's crush on her. Kate took it in stride because she knew Lanie was only messing with her.</p>
<p>Kate knew that if she ever told the guys about her sexuality they'd look at her differently for about an hour, but then they'd go about their business. Castle, on the other hand, would no doubt find hours of enjoyment teasing her with innuendo and crude jokes like a 12-year-old would do, and Castle often acted like a 12-year-old. But she knew that he would be fine with it once he got over his little crush. Kate turned to Alex and smiled, "Well I don't know about a Jumbotron, but my best friend Lanie knows I'm gay and I even told her about you...before you sent me that e-mail."</p>
<p>Alex grinned, "Really?" It made all the difference in the world to her that someone knew about her and Kate and that was enough. She got up off the couch and moved over to the chair to sit in Kate's lap.</p>
<p>Kate grinned up at Alex as she sat down on her lap, "Yeah but um, after that e-mail and the silence, well...I should probably warn you that I spent many nights on Lanie's couch venting about the situation. You should be prepared for an icy reception if or rather when Lanie finds out you're back in my life." Kate felt it was only fair to warn Alex that Lanie held more than just a little animosity towards the woman who had broken her best friend's heart.</p>
<p>"I really pissed you off," she said, a statement, not a question. "I don't blame you. If it had been me, I would feel the same. I did what I could, but my handler watched my every move. I was lucky to get that one e-mail out."</p>
<p>Kate sighed, "I understand now why you did what you did but then, yeah you pissed me off and you also really hurt me. And Lanie, like a good best friend, let me vent and bitch and complain and just...unburden my heart to make the pain a little more bearable." Kate looked into Alex's eyes and leaned closer to kiss her. It was a quick kiss but Kate needed to show Alex that she was on the road to forgiving her. "Alex, I love you and once I explain to Lanie the situation, she'll come around."</p>
<p>"I hope so. I want to be a part of your life and that means getting along with friends and family...it's what I've always wanted," Alex said, leaning in again to kiss Kate, this time much more deeply.</p>
<p>Kate melted into the kiss for a few moments before she pulled away and smiled, "I want you in my life too. I want us to be together, a real couple. But more than anything I want you to be mine again, I want you to make me yours again like we were in New Mexico." Kate moved her lips to Alex's neck to illustrate what she was asking.</p>
<p>Alex tilted her neck and whispered, "Yes. Anything, Kate, anything. I will make you mine, I promise."</p>
<p>Kate tightened her arms around Alex's waist and began to nibble on her neck.</p>
<p>"I've missed this so much, Kate. All those dreams couldn't measure up to this moment right now," Alex said, her lips growing fuller from the excess blood flow and her eyes growing dark again. She felt like she was on fire and she needed Kate so badly that she was clenching her thighs together just to keep herself from breaking apart.</p>
<p>Kate felt Alex shifting on her lap and slid her hand down from her waist to her thigh. Kate moved her hand down to Alex's knee then slid it back up her thigh, sliding under the hem of Alex's dress to caress the silky skin she remembered. Kate's hand slid again, her fingers coming to rest just above the juncture of Alex's legs. Kate grinned as she felt the heat emanating from her girlfriend and her mouth moved lower to Alex's collarbone to nip lightly. She pulled away when Alex shuddered, "You like that don't you baby?"</p>
<p>"Yes. You know what your touch, your kisses do to me. I can't tell you how many nights I'd wake up from a dream where you were making love to me and I'd find my hand buried deep beneath the sheets...it couldn't compare, but it was the only way I could get relief from the torture."</p>
<p>Kate leaned back in the chair, she looked up at Alex, "The thought of you, in bed, dreaming of me, thinking of me when you were...touching yourself, makes me so hot. Someday soon, I would love to watch you do that but tonight, I want to make those dreams a reality and make love to you all night long." Kate was glad she didn't have to work the next day, though she was still on-call in case something broke in her current case. Even if a call did come in, she didn't have to go down to the precinct, so she planned to spend the next 12 hours, minimum, making love with Alex. "Unless you still want to hold it against me that I'm a cop," Kate said, half-jokingly.</p>
<p>"No, no, as far as I'm concerned, no one is anything tonight. Just take me in your room and have your way with me, I need you," she said breathlessly. She needed to be touched, teased, and caressed; everything that Kate knew how to do.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "As you wish." Kate nudged Alex to stand and she stood with her. Kate leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on the blonde's lips before she took a step back and reached behind her. She quickly unsnapped the clip that held the top part of her dress together before she slid the zipper down the back of her dress. With two quick moves, the dress was pooled around her ankles and she stood before Alex in nothing but a black lace thong. It was the only panties she owned that wouldn't leave a line on the dress. Kate smiled at the look on Alex's face, it was...hungry. She turned and took two steps towards her room before she turned to look over her shoulder and said, in a sultry tone, "You coming baby?"</p>
<p>Alex just nodded and distractedly walked towards the bedroom, her eyes glued to the nice little wiggle of Kate's ass as she moved. She stopped just inside the doorway and was again struck dumb when she saw Kate sprawled out on the bed and she nearly lost it. She stripped out of her own dress, her breasts also bare, and her skin was flushed pink.</p>
<p>She walked over to the bed and straddled Kate and the only thing between them was the thin fabric of her matching purple g-string.</p>
<p>Kate looked up at Alex above her. She loved the feeling of skin on skin and she ran her hands along Alex's thighs, caressing the silky soft skin and moving closer to the string of her panties with each stroke. Kate smiled, "I have missed having you this close, seeing you like this. I can't believe you're really here." Kate used one hand to reach up and slide behind Alex's neck to pull her down. Kate let out a moan as their lips connected and she slid her tongue into Alex's mouth, melting into the kiss.</p>
<p>Alex lost herself in the kiss, her body moving all on its own in desperate need of some sort of release. She wasn't reaching for climax, just a little bit of contact to ease the ache. Alex's arousal was painted on Kate's firm abdomen with each stroke back and forth.</p>
<p>Kate felt Alex's arousal on her skin and it drove her close to the edge. In one swift move, Kate flipped them over so Alex was on her back and she hovered over her. Kate broke the kiss and grinned wickedly down at Alex before she began kissing and licking her way down the blonde's neck and chest. Kate's lips closed around Alex's left nipple and she sucked and nibbled on the hardening nub. Kate remembered the last time she had Alex like this in her car the day she had to leave her. Kate was determined to improve on that last time. She wanted to completely wipe away any memory of the cop that Alex had dated here in New York, she wanted to leave no doubt at all that Alex was hers. Kate's lips moved away from one breast to the other, leaving a trail of kisses between them. Kate's hands made quick work of Alex's panties and she slid two fingers on either side of her clit, squeezing gently. Kate felt Alex's reaction and she grinned. She loved knowing that she could do this to the beautiful blonde.</p>
<p>When Alex felt the pressure on her already throbbing clit, she gripped the blanket beneath her and hissed, "Fuck..." She bucked her hips, her eyes rolling back to look at the headboard, and she tried to keep control. She knew it wouldn't take much for her to come.</p>
<p>Kate lifted her lips from Alex's skin and began trailing kisses down her body while her fingers kept up their gentle squeezing. Within seconds, Kate's lips replaced her fingers and she began to suck on Alex's clit, alternating with her tongue to bring Alex to the brink of orgasm. Kate slid two fingers inside of Alex's soaked pussy and began moving slowly, wanting to draw out the moment.</p>
<p>"Oh Kate," Alex said breathlessly. She lifted her head, which felt heavy with pleasure and watched the woman she loved working between her legs. She brought one hand up and placed it on Kate's head, running her fingers through Kate's longer locks, twirling a piece of hair slowly while her hips rocked against Kate's hand and mouth.</p>
<p>Kate loved the way Alex's voice sounded and when she began to rock her hips, Kate sped up her fingers.</p>
<p>As soon as Kate's pace increased, Alex found that she couldn't hold back any longer and she let go, giving her body over to Kate's knowing touch. Kate felt Alex's orgasm rush forward and she welcomed it. Kate flicked her clit with her tongue and then sucked it into her mouth. Kate closed her eyes as she felt Alex come in her mouth and on her hand.</p>
<p>Alex tossed her head back on the pillow and smiled. Her heart was beating hard and the flush had spread everywhere. She caressed Kate's hair and spoke through her haze, "I love you, Kate..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she slid up Alex's sweat-soaked body and she loved the feel of their skin rubbing together. Kate trailed kisses up Alex's neck and when she came to the pulse point she sucked a bit, leaving a light mark on the skin. Kate smiled and then moved up to look into Alex's dark blue eyes. Kate held her gaze for a moment before she whispered, "Mine. I love you, Alex."</p>
<p>She grinned. "It feels so good to hear you say my real name. It makes me feel complete." She lightly scratched Kate's back and trailed her hands down until she was cupping the brunette's ass. "How do you feel right this second?"</p>
<p>Kate grinned down at Alex, "I feel...happy, whole, sane...I'm here with you and we can be together. But beyond all of that, I feel like if you don't touch me soon, I might just explode." Kate shifted on top of Alex, rubbing against the blonde's toned thigh.</p>
<p>Alex chuckled and nodded, "That's what I thought...here..." She rolled Kate onto her back and spread out next to her. She ran her open palm over Kate's breasts, teasing her nipples until they were stiff as could be. She lowered her head and sucked one into her mouth while that same hand moved lower and lower until she was between Kate's legs. The brunette was drenched, which made it quite easy for Alex to slide two fingers into Kate's pussy, her thumb resting firmly on her clit.</p>
<p>Kate moaned at the contact and her hips arched up to meet Alex's hand. Kate brought one hand up to Alex's hair and her fingers wound through the strands. "Oh, baby don't stop I'm so close..." Kate panted out as she gripped the sheets with her other hand. She knew it wouldn't take much to make her come and she let herself go, surrendering to Alex's touch.</p>
<p>Alex suddenly got an idea and swiftly moved between Kate's legs and replaced her fingers with her tongue, sliding it deep inside of Kate's warmth. She thrust, her hands moving up to cup Kate's breasts as she did her best to make her come into her mouth.</p>
<p>Kate felt a rush of fluid as she felt Alex's tongue slide into her. She arched off the bed and in a very short minute, she felt her orgasm crash through her in waves so intense she started to see spots in her vision.</p>
<p>Alex held Kate's hips to steady her and slowed her tongue until the brunette stopped pulsing. She pulled out and licked her lips, "Mmmm, that's my girl..." She again stretched out on Kate's side and put her hand on her lover's stomach. "You taste amazing as ever."</p>
<p>Kate lazily turned to face Alex and she smiled, "I'll always be your girl, baby. Forever." Kate managed to reach up and bring Alex's face closer and kissed her. When she tasted herself on her lover's lips, Kate smiled into the kiss. She missed this feeling and she decided then and there to do whatever it took to keep this feeling, even if it meant letting go of the pain and moving forward with her beautiful girlfriend. Kate pulled out of the kiss and looked into Alex's eyes, "Alex, baby, I love you and I want you to know that... I don't want to dwell on the mistakes of the past anymore. We're together now and I want us to stay together...if that's what you still want." Kate suddenly feared that maybe Alex had changed her mind about being together. What if tonight was just the blonde's way of absolving her guilt over the silence and moving on, maybe even looking up her ex-detective and reigniting their affair.</p>
<p>"Yes, that's exactly what I want," she said with the biggest smile ever. "I want to stay with you and have this whole life that we talked about back in Santa Fe."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "That's good because I don't think I can let you go a second time. It nearly killed me to leave you the first time." Kate's voice choked up with tears as she remembered the day she had to leave Alex behind in New Mexico.</p>
<p>Alex couldn't help but tear up too, which made her chuckle, "Stop, you're making me cry." She leaned forward and kissed Kate softly, "We're here and nothing is going to change that, ok? All the rest of it is behind us and we have the rest of our lives to be together."</p>
<p>Kate kissed Alex again and smiled, "Yes we do. Will you spend the night? I want to fall asleep in your arms again as we did before... Please stay?"</p>
<p>Alex nodded and kissed Kate's forehead, "You got it, baby." She pulled back the covers and got underneath with Kate. She took the brunette into her arms and rubbed her stomach gently. She leaned forward and kissed Kate's shoulder, sucking a little to leave her mark, smiling when she saw the little purple spot and whispered, "Mine..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she snuggled into Alex's arms, "Always." Kate nuzzled Alex's neck. She inhaled deeply and, underneath the smell of their mingled arousals, Kate smelled the scent she would recognize anywhere...Alex. "I love the way you smell."</p>
<p>"I love everything about you, Kate. Thank you for taking me back into your life. It was the one thing I've been praying for, for so long. If you had turned me away...I don't know how I would've gone on."</p>
<p>Kate cupped Alex's cheek and said, "There was never a danger of me turning you away baby. I meant what I said in New Mexico, you and I will be together for the rest of our lives. You and me, we're meant to be." Kate kissed Alex again.</p>
<p>Alex smiled and then yawned, "Hmm, sorry. That was completely involuntary. How about we get some sleep and in the morning, I'll cook for you after some very fun morning sex?"</p>
<p>Kate snuggled closer, "That sounds like a great idea. But I think I'll be the one cooking...maybe I'll even make you Malukuao." Kate wrapped her arms around Alex and closed her eyes.</p>
<p>"I've practiced...I want to show you," she said and then closed her eyes as well. "We can fight over the pans tomorrow. Good night I love you."</p>
<p>Kate pressed a kiss to Alex's chest, her tongue slipping out for a quick taste before she said, "Good night baby, I love you too." Kate soon fell fast asleep; happy for the first time in almost a year to be wrapped safely in the arms of the woman she loved.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don't care if Kate took her back too quickly...there's a lot more drama, love, and fun times ahead for these two, and I don't need them distracted by insignificant things like unnecessary grudge-holding. Thank you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. The Morning After</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This chapter takes place the morning after the launch party. Our girls have a lazy day of reconnecting and getting to know more about each other.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Alex quietly snuck out of bed and crept to the kitchen in Kates's robe to start cooking breakfast for her. She had memorized the recipe for Malukuao months before and she made it every once in a while as a special treat for herself. She hoped Kate wouldn't mind her searching through the kitchen for the pans and cooking utensils, but she really wanted to give Kate a nice breakfast in bed. She was able to find everything she needed with very little trouble and started the process, the aroma wafting through the apartment after just a few short minutes.</p><p>Kate slowly opened her eyes and rolled over, fully intending to wrap her arm around Alex and snuggle close to her. When she reached out and found nothing there but cold sheets, Kate feared she had imagined the whole thing. That last night, with Alex, had been a dream. Then she noticed the aroma of food wafting through the apartment and she sat up, sniffing deeply. She smiled as she identified the smell of Malukuao and she knew then that it hadn't been a dream, Alex was real.</p><p>Kate slipped out of bed and threw on a set of NYPD sweats and silently slipped out of the bedroom and into the doorway of the kitchen. She grinned as she saw Alex at the stove, wearing her black silk robe, paying close attention to the skillet in her hand. Kate felt her heart swell when she realized that Alex wasn't working from the recipe but from memory. Alex had taken the time to memorize her favorite dish and was making it for her. Kate couldn't hold back anymore and she slipped up behind the blonde, wrapping her arms around her waist and placing a kiss on her neck, "Mmmm that smells great but you taste better. Good morning baby."</p><p>Alex laughed, "Good morning, beautiful. You can always have me for dessert if you want. I'm definitely up for table sex." She turned off the stove and let the contents of the pan continue to cook with the residual heat so they wouldn't burn while she and Kate were making out. She turned in the brunette's arms and smiled, her face practically glowing as she leaned in to kiss her girlfriend.</p><p>Kate smiled as she kissed Alex, her tongue sliding into the blonde's mouth as she tightened her grip on Alex's waist. Kate pulled Alex away from the stove and deftly moved her to the counter next to it. She moved forward and pressed Alex between the counter and her body, liking the feeling of having Alex at her mercy. Kate pulled away from their kiss and began trailing her lips down the blonde's neck, closing her eyes and loving the taste and texture of Alex's neck.</p><p>Alex held onto the countertop and widened her stance to keep her balance while Kate kissed her. She chuckled, "We could always have dessert now..."</p><p>Kate slid her leg between Alex's, her thigh pushing against the blonde's center and she grinned at the gasp that escaped those perfect lips. Kate's lips trailed lower to nibble on her collarbone, pulling away for a moment to ask, "Would that be so bad?"</p><p>"No, bad is definitely not a word I'd use...amazing, definitely. Put me up on the counter, baby, I'm ready for you," Alex said, her hand loosely gripping Kate's hair.</p><p>Kate pulled back, grinning, and then she moved her hands to the robe's tie and quickly undid it. She parted the robe and smiled as she gazed once again at the woman she loved, naked before her. She took a moment to truly appreciate her and silently gave thanks for the second chance she was getting with this woman. She leaned forward and wrapped her lips around Alex's nipple, sucking and licking while her hand played with the other breast. She heard Alex moan and she reveled in the sound.</p><p>"You're going to spoil me, you know. Once I get used to this, I'm always going to want it," Alex warned. Her hands were gripping the counter harder now, her legs quivering and her chest heaving.</p><p>Kate pulled back and grinned wickedly, "Good. I hope you never stop wanting this with me. I want you to get used to this baby. I've got a year of lonely nights to make up for with you." Kate brought her lips to Alex's other breast and sucked on the nipple as she ran her hands to Alex's waist and tightened her grip. Kate pulled her lips away from Alex's breast and, using the muscles she developed in the precinct gym, lifted Alex up and placed her on the counter.</p><p>Kate grinned and gently pushed Alex back until she was resting on the cabinets behind her and then began trailing her lips over Alex's torso, licking and sucking her way down the perfect body that was on display before her.</p><p>Alex leaned her head against the cabinet and looked down at Kate, watching with fascination as the brunette kissed her. It made her feel attractive and desired when she could watch Kate's fervor in action. Her center was already moist and she could feel the increased blood flow coursing to all the important places. She brought her hands up to cup her own breasts and worked them gently as Kate moved lower.</p><p>Kate caught Alex's movement from the corner of her eye and she glanced up. When she saw Alex's hands on her own breasts, it turned her on even more. Kate let out a low growl and she placed her hands on Alex's thighs, pushing them open so that she could move between the blonde's legs. Kate leaned down and without hesitation, she placed her mouth on Alex's clit and sucked on it. Kate moved her hands to Alex's backside and she tugged her forward, giving herself better access to the blonde's center. She moved her tongue lower and slid it inside the blonde, savoring the familiar, musky flavor. Kate faintly heard the sounds Alex was making and they only served to drive her further in her quest to make her gorgeous, sexy girlfriend come in her mouth.</p><p>Alex rubbed Kate's back with the soft heel of her foot and moaned, her thighs taut from the sheer delight. She loved doing it in places other than the bedroom and she had a brief fantasy of her and Kate having sex in some public place like a bathroom at a local club or in her office at work. Someplace private but just public enough that there was a chance they'd get caught. That thought caused a new burst of moisture to come from inside of the blonde.</p><p>Kate lifted her mouth and said, in a low, lust soaked voice, "Come for me baby, I want to hear you scream for me. I love it when you come with my name on your lips." Kate went back to her work, bringing a hand into play, thrusting deep inside of her girlfriend, her fingers curling just right.</p><p>Alex couldn't hold back when she felt Kate's fingers inside her and she let her body take over as her mind shut off. She moaned, grunted, whined, and whimpered as her orgasm hit her hard. Just at the peak of her climax, she screamed Kate's named, her knuckles turning white from gripping the counter so hard.</p><p>Kate felt Alex's orgasm rush through her and her own orgasm, though not as big, washed over her at that moment. Kate held Alex as they both came down together, Kate rested her forehead on Alex's shoulder and wrapping her free arm around Alex's waist to hold her close.</p><p>When she was able to speak again she whispered, mostly to herself though she knew Alex could hear her, "Well...that was a first."</p><p>"You came with me?"Alex asked, somewhat sure, though needing confirmation. She was still hazy, but her senses were slowly coming back to her.</p><p>Kate buried her face in Alex's neck, a little embarrassed, "Um...yeah."</p><p>"Oh my God, that's so...hot," Alex said, caressing Kate's hair. "I didn't even have to touch you..."</p><p>Kate grinned, she lifted her head just enough so her words weren't muffled and said, "That's the first time that's ever happened to me." Kate shifted and looked into Alex's eyes, letting all her emotions show, "That's what you do to me."</p><p>Alex touched her cheek, "I hope I always have this effect on you. I love you so much." She leaned forward and kissed Kate's lips, the essence of her skin and wetness still fresh. She held onto Kate for a long time until her stomach growled and she blushed. "Hmmm, seems you gave me an appetite..."</p><p>Kate grinned, "Well then by all means let's feed you because you're going to need your energy today. I don't plan on letting you get much rest today." Kate helped Alex off the counter and she lovingly, if regretfully, closed the robe and tied the sash. "As much I hate covering up this gorgeous, tempting body, if I don't, neither of us will eat anything...or ever leave this counter," Kate smiled.</p><p>Alex laughed as she went over to the stove and served equal portions of the Malukuao onto two plates. She swaggered over to the nook and set the plates down and then asked, "Do you want coffee or juice? Or milk?"</p><p>Kate smiled at Alex's attentiveness and said, "Juice please." She'd save the coffee for later.</p><p>Alex went over to the refrigerator and found the orange juice. She took two glasses from the cupboard and topped off both of them and returned to the nook. She sat down and waited to start eating until Kate was seated. "I hope you like it."</p><p>"I'm sure I will...provided you read the recipe right," Kate teased her, wondering just how long it had taken Alex to memorize the recipe. Kate picked up her fork and scooped up some of the food, putting it in her mouth to taste it.</p><p>Alex watched Kate with anticipation. She had her fingers crossed that the brunette would approve.</p><p>Kate swallowed and smiled at Alex, she knew the blonde was waiting for the verdict and while a part of her wanted to draw it out and tease her, she wasn't that mean so she just said, "This is very good, I'm impressed, Alex."</p><p>Alex grinned like an accomplished child. "Really? I know it's not as good as yours, but I practiced for months to get it just right. It's how I memorized the recipe."</p><p>Kate smiled at Alex's child-like glee. "I'm...glad that you memorized this recipe. It means a lot to me that you made the effort to learn it." Kate felt her eyes get misty. Alex was the first person she'd ever given the recipe to and to see that she'd taken the time to learn how to make it made her love the blonde even more.</p><p>"Well, I knew I wanted to cook it for you someday. I'm not a very good cook, but I worked at it until I knew I could make you proud. You're my girl, Kate. I love you."</p><p>Kate grinned, "I like the sound of that...being your girl." Kate reached out and grabbed Alex's hand, running her thumb over her knuckles.</p><p>Alex looked at her and noticed a small tan line on her right ring finger. "You still wear the ring I gave you?"</p><p>Kate blushed, "Yeah I do, but not when I'm working. It's far too precious to me to wear it to crime scenes, so I wear it at night. When I go to bed I slip it on and it helps me imagine that you're next to me."</p><p>"You have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you've continued to wear it all this time. Someday, I hope to see you wearing a beautiful wedding band on that finger."</p><p>Kate's breath caught in her throat. She had an image of standing with Alex in front of a judge and vowing to spend the rest of her life with this wonderful woman and she liked the thought of it. "Yeah? I'd love that, as long I get to pick out a ring for you to wear. I'm sure you remember how much I love to stake my claim on you."</p><p>"Yes, I remember. I would wear it proudly every day." She continued eating her breakfast, sipping her juice between bites.</p><p>Kate went back to her breakfast, her hand still holding onto Alex's. She loved the feel of their hands entwined. Kate finished her breakfast and noticed Alex was also done with her food. She picked up both plates and rinsed them off before placing them in her dishwasher. She turned and smiled at Alex and held out her hand, "Come with me?"</p><p>"Where?" Alex asked, taking Kate's hand.</p><p>Kate tugged Alex out of her chair and pulled her into the living room. She stood with Alex next to the couch and smiled, "I thought we could watch a movie and snuggle on the couch, I want to hold you in my arms like I used to...please?" Kate turned on the puppy dog eyes and even pouted a little bit.</p><p>Alex grinned, "Oh, ok...but can I ask a favor first?"</p><p>Kate wrapped her arms around Alex's waist, "Name it."</p><p>"Can I borrow some PJs? I love your robe, but I'd like to wear something warmer for cuddling," she said, wrapping her arms around Kate and kissing her on the nose.</p><p>Kate grinned, "I know just the thing, wait right here ok?" Kate quickly crossed the room and entered her bedroom. She went to her closet and, after moving a few things around, she found the package she was looking for. She took it out of her closet and looked at it, praying that Alex would like it. Kate went back to the living room and saw Alex standing right where she left her and she grinned. Kate walked up to Alex and held out the brightly wrapped package. "This is for you. I-I bought it for you for Christmas and I would've shipped it to you, but by then I was...well, I was mad at you so I put it in the back of my closet and tried to forget about it. I hope you like it." Kate bit her lip as Alex took the package in her hands.</p><p>Alex sat down and tore off the wrapping before lifting the lid and peered inside. It was a pair of ocean blue silk pajamas. She smiled and took them out of the box, "They're beautiful, Kate, thank you!"</p><p>Kate let out a breath she was holding. "I'm glad you like them...I got them because they reminded me of your eyes." Kate smiled, "Will you wear them? Are they ok for snuggling?"</p><p>"They're perfect," Alex said and kissed Kate on the lips. "I'm just going to go into your room to change, ok?" She stood up and crossed the room to the hall that led to the bedroom. She took off the robe and slipped on the pajamas, her body warming up again after cooling off during breakfast. She realized that her feet were still cold and called out to Kate, "Honey, can I borrow some socks?"</p><p>Kate smiled and called out, "Yeah they're in the top drawer baby. Help yourself." Kate went back to what she was doing. She crossed to the linen closet and got out a throw blanket and pillow and then went back to the couch and placed the pillow in the corner so that she could protect her back when she was holding Alex. She placed the blanket over the back of the couch, ready for her to pull it over them, and then smiled at her handiwork. She sat down and waited for Alex to rejoin her.</p><p>Alex opened the top drawer of Kate's dresser and was about to take out a pair of socks when she found something very interesting. After a quick study, she lifted it out of the drawer and with socks in hand returned to the living room.</p><p>"Kate, what is this?" she asked, holding up what appeared to be an advanced copy of Richard Castle's <i>Heat Wave</i>.</p><p>Kate turned around to see what Alex was asking about and paled a little when she saw the book in her hand. She knew then she'd have to come clean about Nikki Heat...because how else would she explain why she had an advanced promotional copy of <i>Heat Wave</i>? Kate cleared her throat and said, "Um...I can explain..."</p><p>"I read the dedication...how close are you with Rick Castle?"</p><p>Kate frowned, "What does that mean?" Kate had a bad thought, "Are you asking me if...if something happened with Castle?"</p><p>"You were his inspiration, he said so right here," she said, opening the book to the handwritten dedication. "What does he mean by that?"</p><p>Kate wondered how much to explain, but then she realized that if she didn't tell the whole truth, it would cause more problems down the road. She took a breath and said, "Um, you might want to sit down, it's a bit of a long story."</p><p>Alex walked over to the couch and sat down. She set the book on the coffee table and looked at Kate. She had no idea if Castle's dedication was innocuous or if there was something sinister behind it, but she opted to hold judgment until Kate explained.</p><p>Kate took a breath and began, "Back in March, there was a copycat killer posing his victims to resemble scenes from Castle's books. We brought Castle in for questioning and he was able to provide some information to help our case, but mostly he was just a pain in the neck. In any case, we caught the killer and I thought that was the end of it until my captain called me into his office and told me that Castle loved tagging along during the investigation so much that he got the mayor to put pressure on the captain and...I had to let him tag along indefinitely for...research." Kate paused as she took a deep breath and revealed the most embarrassing part. "He um...he had decided to create a new character, a cop, based on me...that's how Nikki Heat came to exist. I didn't ask for this, I fought it, but obviously, I lost that battle." Kate turned away from Alex, not wanting to see her reaction in case it wasn't good.</p><p>"So you're...Nikki Heat?"Alex asked in disbelief. She wanted to laugh at herself for assuming Castle meant anything more by inspiration and she did. It started slow and then built up until she had tears in her eyes.</p><p>When Kate heard Alex laughing, she assumed that she was laughing at her and she couldn't take it...she'd listened to all the cops' snide remarks and jokes about Nikki Heat and it bothered her but it didn't usually faze her. This, however, Alex laughing at her because of Nikki Heat, was too much so she turned and ran from the room. She ran to her bedroom and closed the door behind her, flinging herself on the bed and burying her face in the pillow to cry.</p><p>Alex quickly sobered and ran after Kate. "Kate? Babe, what's wrong?" She knocked on the door, not wanting to just barge in, and waited for a response.</p><p>Kate couldn't answer her, she was crying at the thought of being laughed at by Alex.</p><p>Alex opened the door slowly and peeked in. She was heartbroken when she saw how destroyed Kate was. "Kate, sweetie, what's wrong? What did I do?" She walked over to the bed and sat down, "Honey, please, talk to me." She put her hand on Kate's back to comfort her.</p><p>Kate stiffened at the feel of Alex's hand on her back, but she soon relaxed into the touch; her body couldn't help but respond to Alex. Kate brought a hand up and wiped the tears off her cheek, eventually calming herself enough to say to Alex, her voice still rough from the tears, "Why...why did you laugh at me?"</p><p>Alex looked confused, "I wasn't laughing at you, babe. I was laughing at myself for acting like such an idiot. I should've known there wasn't anything romantic between you and Castle, but for a moment I let myself go there and I'm sorry. I love you and you love me, that's the reality." She tickled Kate's back slowly, "Please don't cry, ok? I hate seeing you like that."</p><p>Kate took a moment to think about that, "Wait...you thought that there was something romantic going on between me and Castle?" Kate couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You seriously thought that I could be with anyone else after our time together? Much less a man?" Kate felt a hand squeeze her heart at the thought.</p><p>"I know. It was stupid. I just got jealous at the thought of you being with anyone else and when I read what he wrote...baby, I was irrational and stupid and I'll never let it happen again, ok?"</p><p>Kate took a breath, "Castle is a friend and he's almost a partner of sorts. He's been fairly helpful in solving the crimes and offering a new perspective and he makes my job a little more fun. But there's nothing romantic between us...despite how much he might want there to be. You are the one I love, the only one I ever want to be with, ever."</p><p>"I know. As I said, it was stupid. I guess I'm just scared to ever lose you... I love you so much, Kate. Please, can we forget this and go cuddle?"</p><p>Kate smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that."</p><p>Alex took her hand and led her back to the living room. She let Kate get settled on the couch and then joined her, stretching out in the brunette's arms. She felt whole again and she reminded herself that she'd never let something so stupid cause her to behave that way ever again.</p><p>Kate wrapped her arms around Alex and kissed her neck before she said, "By the way, you are never allowed to tease me about the whole Nikki Heat thing, deal?" Kate tolerated it at work, but she didn't want to have to deal with it at home with Alex.</p><p>"Tease you? Baby, I think it's amazingly hot that you're the basis of that character. It means you're great at what you do, otherwise, he never would've picked you," she said, placing her arm over Kate's.</p><p>Kate chuckled, "No, it's not amazing honey. Ever since the character's name was leaked, I've had to put up with so much grief...especially after the cover art for the book was plastered all over that Cosmo issue." Kate sighed because she hated that article. But then she remembered something, "Wait, you think it's hot?" Kate thought about that for a moment, "I think I can live with that...just please don't ever call me Nikki ok?"</p><p>"Promise. Though, maybe one day, if you're ever comfortable and in the mood, you could play Nikki and I could be a perp...and we could have a little role-play followed by amazing sex. It would be a nice way of owning it."</p><p>Kate blushed and kept quiet...with the exception of the whole Nikki Heat angle, Alex had just described one of the fantasies she'd indulged in during their separation.</p><p>Kate lowered her mouth to kiss Alex's neck when her cell phone began to ring. Kate sighed as she reached back and picked it up off the end table behind her. "I'm so sorry babe I have to take this, it's about the case I'm working on."</p><p>Alex nodded. She knew all too well how these things went. She lay there quietly while Kate talked to whoever had called.</p><p>Kate spent a few minutes talking to Esposito about the case and she managed to delegate everything so she wouldn't have to go into work. She hung up after a few minutes and put the phone back on the end table before returning her arm to its previous resting spot just under Alex's breasts. "Sorry about that, but it couldn't be helped." Kate began kissing Alex's neck in a silent plea for forgiveness. She'd had more than one ex-girlfriend who couldn't deal with her unpredictable schedule.</p><p>"You don't have to explain anything to me, babe. I know how it is in law enforcement. Calls can come in any time." She cuddled closer to Kate and smiled, "I'm glad you don't have to go in today. I want as much time with you as possible this weekend."</p><p>Kate smiled as she tightened her arms around Alex, "Well...there's plenty of food in the fridge and as long as nothing really important comes up with this case, I have nowhere else to be but right here with you." Kate buried her face in Alex's neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her lover.</p><p>Alex sighed happily and reached back to rub Kate's thigh. "Do you want to watch a movie, baby?"</p><p>Kate closed her eyes, "Will it involve moving away from you? Because I don't really want to let you go right now." Kate tightened her hold on the blonde.</p><p>Alex chuckled, "I could always see what's on TV. The remote is on the coffee table and I can reach that from here." She reached out and picked up the remote, "See?"</p><p>Kate smiled, "That works for me as long as I can keep holding you." Kate needed to keep Alex close right then, the misunderstanding and anger from the earlier incident over Nikki Heat was only starting to lessen. "And for the record baby, you never have to worry about losing me. You're stuck with me now."</p><p>Alex caressed Kate's hand, "Is that a promise?"</p><p>Kate smiled as she lifted her hand and showed Alex her ring finger. The ring she'd given her was resting in its proper place. Kate had slipped it on while Alex was getting changed because she wanted Alex to see her wearing it. "What does this tell you?"</p><p>Alex grinned and kissed Kate's ringed finger. "It tells me that you're mine and nothing is going to change that." Then she let out a sigh, "I really am sorry about earlier, Kate. I never meant to hurt you by being so stupid."</p><p>Kate smiled, "It's okay, Alex. I can see how what Castle wrote in the promo copy could be misconstrued as something more. I'm sorry that I overreacted, I don't normally cry like that."</p><p>"It's ok, we all get emotional, especially when we really care." She fell silent for a bit and then said, "I met my cousin's little boy last night before the party..."</p><p>Kate grinned at the change of subject, she was thankful for it so she would stop worrying about what had happened earlier. She kissed Alex's neck and said, "Yeah? How old is he?"</p><p>"He's four. His name's Kevin and I think he has a bit of a crush on me," she said with a chuckle.</p><p>Kate also chuckled at that. "Oh really? Should I be worried?" Kate teased as she tightened her grip on Alex's waist.</p><p>"About the crush? No, nothing to be worried about there..." she said, but there was obviously more she wasn't saying.</p><p>"I am starting to know that tone. What aren't you telling me?" Kate said, knowing there was more that Alex wasn't saying.</p><p>Alex sighed, "I don't want to freak you out."</p><p>Kate used one of her hands to gently tilt Alex's face so that she could look into her eyes, "Baby, I am not going to freak out. Please, just talk to me." Kate leaned forward and kissed Alex in an effort to reassure her girlfriend that she wasn't going anywhere.</p><p>Alex bit her lip, "Spending time with him made me start thinking about kids..." She watched Kate carefully, waiting for her to react.</p><p>Kate looked at Alex and her expression remained neutral as she asked, "Yeah? What, specifically, about kids?" Kate needed to know Alex's opinion on kids before she revealed her own.</p><p>"Well, that I'd like to have them...with you...someday?" Alex said though it came out as more of a question. She wasn't usually this flustered, but she didn't want to scare Kate with such serious talk.</p><p>Kate slowly smiled, "You...you want to have a child, with me? You want us to have a kid?" Kate silently wondered what she'd done right in her past that granted her this moment. She was in love with a woman who wanted children, just like Kate did.</p><p>Alex nodded and visibly relaxed when she saw that Kate was smiling. "Yes. Last night when I had Kevin in my lap, all I could think of was how great it would be if it were our child. A little boy or girl running around, laughing, exploring the world...a little Beckett..."</p><p>"That sounds really nice...wait...did you say a little Beckett?" Kate asked, wondering if Alex had misspoken. She felt a jolt of excitement at the thought of Alex and their child both taking her name, but she needed to know Alex hadn't made a mistake.</p><p>"Yeah. You don't mind, do you? I want to take your last name, so it would also be our baby's last name..."</p><p>Kate was overcome with emotion and in a swift move, she flipped them over on the couch and swooped down to kiss Alex. She slipped her tongue into the blonde's mouth and savored the contact for a few moments before reluctantly pulling away. She smiled almost wolfishly and said, "I would love that so much. I would love to have a child with you baby." Kate leaned down and began kissing Alex's neck.</p><p>Alex grinned, "I can't believe we're both on the same page. God, it feels so good." She felt like their whole future had just opened up and it made her happy that Kate wanted this as much as she did.</p><p>Kate lifted her head and looked at Alex, "I want a life with you, a whole life with kids and maybe even a dog, but mostly, I want to spend every day making sure you never have any reason to doubt how much I love you." Kate went back to kissing Alex's neck.</p><p>After a few minutes, Alex took Kate's hand and started guiding it lower. She was moaning softly with her eyes closed. It was warm in the room, but Alex felt hot from Kate's touch.</p><p>Kate smiled against Alex's skin when she felt her hand being moved lower. She knew what Alex wanted and she was more than willing to oblige. Kate began moving her lips lower on Alex's torso and when she reached the edge of the silk pajama top she raised her head. She admired how sexy Alex look beneath her and whispered, "I know you just put this on but it's coming off...now, okay?"Kate moved her other hand to one of the buttons on the top and hovered, waiting for Alex to give her permission.</p><p>"Yes. Please," she said softly, her voice husky. She needed to feel Kate again. It was like she had to make up for all those lonely nights and she wanted to get a jump-start on it. Besides, once Monday came around, she'd be back at work, and morning sex would become very rare.</p><p>Kate grinned wolfishly and used both hands to quickly remove both the top and the silk pants so that Alex was naked beneath her. Kate sat up and kneeled above the blonde before running both hands down Alex's body, from her shoulders, over her breasts down to her hips and further to her thighs. She loved how soft Alex's skin was. Kate brought her hands back up and cupped Alex's breasts.</p><p>She looked into the blonde's eyes and said, "I love you, Alexandra Cabot. You're mine once again and I am never going to let you go. We're going to have a life together, I want us to have a family together." Kate glanced down at the breasts in her hands, the nipples had hardened and she could smell the musk of Alex's arousal. She lowered one of her hands to Alex's center and she ran her fingers through the wetness she found there. She lifted her hand to her lips and licked them clean, loving the flavor. "Mmmm...yummy."</p><p>Alex chuckled and turned pink, "You like making me blush, don't you?"</p><p>Kate chuckled, "That is a nice bonus, but no, I love the way you taste, I love that I have this effect on you, that I can make you wet like this." Kate lowered her hand again and repeated the action of licking her fingers clean. She looked Alex in the eyes and saw them darkening to that shade of blue she loved so much. She lowered herself down and took a nipple into her mouth.</p><p>Alex gasped, the warmth of Kate's mouth causing her nipple to harden even more. She pressed herself against Kate's thigh and started to rock slowly, her clit desperate for contact.</p><p>Kate loved the sounds Alex made when she was aroused, she loved feeling Alex rock against her. Kate moved her mouth to the other breast while her hand slid lower on her body. When her fingers reached Alex's center she could feel the heat emanating from it and she grinned. She loved making Alex react this way. Kate slid her fingers around Alex's clit and squeezed gently, teasingly.</p><p>Alex bit her lip and groaned, her hips bucking against Kate's hand. She somehow got her wits about her and moved her hand between Kate's legs, rubbing the brunette with the palm of her hand so that Kate could feel as good as she did.</p><p>At Alex's touch, Kate lost her focus for a minute. She lifted her head and closed her eyes as she pressed against Alex's hand, moaning at the increased contact before whispering, "Oh yeah baby...I like that, don't stop." Kate lowered her head and began kissing and licking Alex's skin, slowly moving lower on her body. Kate's hand increased the pressure on Alex's clit and she felt a fresh rush of fluid in response.</p><p>Alex liked pleasuring Kate at the same time that she was being pleasured. It made her feel like she was on fire and it kept her juices flowing. She slipped a finger inside of Kate's core and pressed harder with the heel of her hand on the brunette's clit, trying to match Kate's movements.</p><p>Kate rocked her hips in time to Alex's movements as she slipped two fingers inside Alex's soaking pussy. She moved up her body and began to suck on Alex's neck, her orgasm rising. She knew Alex was close too, so she kept up her rhythm as she marked Alex's beautiful neck, letting anyone who might see it that Alex was taken.</p><p>Alex worked her fingers fervently and when she felt Kate giving over, she let go herself, coming hard with a long, deep moan. She subconsciously kept her fingers moving inside of Kate until the brunette stopped pulsing.</p><p>Kate rode out her orgasm and lowered her head to Alex's shoulder. She fought to catch her breath and smiled when she heard Alex was similarly struggling. Kate slowly slid her hand out of her lover's depths and brought it up to her lips. She lifted her head and licked her fingers clean before smiling at Alex, "Mmm...I never get tired of that flavor. I love you." Kate kissed Alex, letting her lover taste herself on her tongue.</p><p>Alex kissed Kate, but kept her hand firmly between the brunette's legs, continuing to rub her gently, not wanting it to hurt but rather work her back up. She wanted her to come again and she had a plan of how she wanted to make it happen.</p><p>Kate dimly registered that Alex's hand was still moving inside her. She continued to kiss Alex, letting herself go and simply responding to the moment.</p><p>Alex licked and sucked on Kate's tongue, her free hand cupping one of Kate's breasts while her other hand continued teasing and stroking. She wanted to make Kate come with her tongue, but this was a good warm-up.</p><p>Kate moaned into their kiss, loving the feel of Alex's hands on her body. She had missed this and for almost a year this was all she craved, to have Alex beneath her, naked and willing. Kate began to rock her hips against Alex's hand feeling the pressure building again. "Baby, stop teasing, I need you," she breathed out, panting.</p><p>Alex looked up at her, "Kneel over me." She grinned mischievously and wagged her eyebrows. "I want to make you come with my tongue."</p><p>Kate felt a jolt go through her when Alex's request registered and she grinned, "As you wish." She kissed Alex one last time before she shifted above her and settled her knees on either side of Alex's head. The blonde had scooted down on the sofa, so she was lying flat on her back and Kate looked down at her, getting even more aroused by the sight.</p><p>She gripped the back of the couch with one hand while the other hand rested on the arm of the couch. "Make me yours Alex, please." Kate slowly lowered herself onto Alex's waiting mouth.</p><p>Alex stuck out her tongue and started lapping at Kate's clit, tickling it with the tip and then engulfing it by curling her tongue to surround it. She reached around to grip Kate's ass and squeezed.</p><p>Kate's back arched at the contact and her eyes closed against her will. She felt herself losing control and she welcomed it. She began moaning, unable to stop herself, and rocked her hips against Alex's tongue, craving deeper contact. "Oh yeah baby, don't stop."</p><p>Alex pulled Kate closer and slipped her tongue inside of her, enjoying the warmth and tightness. She thrust as hard as she could, wanting to push Kate over again.</p><p>Kate felt her orgasm crest and she gripped the couch, her knuckles turning white from the sheer force of it. For a moment, she honestly thought she was going to fly apart, but soon her body relaxed and she came back to her senses. When she could move again she slithered down until she was lying on top of Alex. Kate buried her face into Alex's neck as she struggled to control her breathing.</p><p>Alex tickled Kate's back and kissed her temple, "I love you so much. You're amazing."</p><p>Kate lifted her head and looked at Alex, smiling. "You're amazing baby, that was..." Kate couldn't find the words to describe what that was so she shook her head and snuggled deeper into Alex's neck, her tongue slipping out to lick Alex's neck. She savored the salty tang of sweat on her tongue.</p><p>Alex was idly enjoying Kate's attention when she gathered the courage to tell Kate what was on her mind. "Honey, you know what I was thinking? I thought that maybe someday if we have a girl, we could name her after your mother and mine. What would you think about that?"</p><p>Kate froze for a moment when she heard Alex's words. She lifted her head and looked at Alex, "You...you want to...to name our future daughter after our mothers?" Kate had secretly wanted to have a daughter she could name after her mother ever since her mother was murdered, but she had slowly let go of that dream the further she got into her career as a cop, not to mention her many failed relationships. But here was Alex, the woman she loved, telling her she wanted to honor both their mothers by naming a daughter after them. Kate felt tears in her eyes.</p><p>Alex felt Kate stiffen and she rubbed her girlfriend's back, "Kate, did I say something wrong? We don't have to do it if you don't want to...I just thought you might, but if you don't, we'll pick something else."</p><p>Kate leaned closer and kissed Alex. She savored the contact for a few moments and then pulled back to say, "No, you didn't say anything wrong. I would be thrilled to have a daughter with you that we name after our mothers. I think it's a great idea."</p><p>Alex grinned, "Really? I just kept thinking that it would be a great way to honor them. Um, I never told you my mom's name. It was Elisabeth, but she used to go by Betty. My uncle always called her Bets." She chuckled, thinking about her mom.</p><p>Kate sat up and brought Alex with her, then she shifted until she was once again lying back on the couch with Alex in her arms. They were naked, so she pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered them up. She wrapped her arms around Alex's waist and she asked, "Will you tell me about your mom?"</p><p>Alex smiled, "Sure. Um, what do you want to know?"</p><p>Kate smiled, "Anything, everything. Whatever you feel comfortable telling me." Kate tightened her grip on her girlfriend, sensing this would be a difficult topic.</p><p>Alex smiled, a bit melancholy when she thought back on the memories of her mom. "Well, she was the baby. Her parents had my Uncle Bill and she was born a few years later. They grew up in Amherst and she stayed until she graduated from high school...she and my dad met during college. She was a psychology major and he was in business. They got married after graduation and I was born two years later. We moved into the city when I was five and she didn't decide to move back to her old home upstate until after my dad died..."</p><p>Kate heard the sad tone in Alex's voice and she began gently rubbing Alex's stomach. "How old were you when your dad died?"</p><p>"I was 24. I was away at law school when she called me to tell me that he'd had a heart attack. He died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital," she said, her voice somber.</p><p>Kate felt tears in her eyes, "Oh baby, I'm so sorry."</p><p>"It's ok. It was just one of those things, you know? I loved him very much and he loved me and I wish he could've been in my life longer, but he taught me so many things and I'll always be grateful for that." She took a breath and then continued, "After I passed the bar, I started with the DA's office and worked my way up...my mom was proud, but she always wanted me to find someone so that I wouldn't be lonely. She knew I could take care of myself, but it was me being alone in the city that worried her."</p><p>Kate thought about that for a moment. "Did um...did your mom ever meet your...detective from before?" It killed Kate to have to bring up Alex's ex but this was something she needed to know.</p><p>Alex was silent for a moment. "Um, yeah, she did. I came out to her after she and I started dating..."</p><p>Kate nodded, silently working up the courage to continue this line of questioning. "And um...did she...did she like her?"</p><p>"Yeah, they got along," she said with a nod. "They only saw each other a few times."</p><p>"Oh..." Kate turned and looked down at the coffee table while she absently toyed with the ring on her finger...the ring Alex had given her. "Do you...I mean...um...well..." Kate faltered a bit but then took a breath and asked, "Would she have liked me? Do you think?"</p><p>Alex took Kate's hand and looked straight into her eyes, "She would've loved you, Kate. You're a wonderful woman and you make me happy. You're intelligent, beautiful, funny, kind...I can't imagine a reason why she wouldn't like you."</p><p>Kate smiled as she let out a breath she'd been holding. "Do you really think so?"</p><p>"I know it. The only thing my mom wanted was my happiness and you make me insanely happy. The fact that you want kids would be like the icing on the top of her cake. I know it's hard wondering about my ex, but I really don't want you to feel like you have to compete with her. That part of my life is over and I'm with you now."</p><p>Kate sighed, "I can't help it though. I'm sorry but...I love you so much and I can't help but be worried that she'll come back into your life and steal you away from me. I mean, you had a life with her, you loved her enough to let her meet your mom and...I'm just scared, Alex." Kate began to tear up a little at the thought of losing Alex to some faceless ex.</p><p>"Honey, if my mom was still alive, I would take you to meet her immediately. I didn't take my ex to meet her for six months. I'd take you right now. Honestly, there's no reason for you to feel intimidated."</p><p>Kate leaned closer and kissed Alex. "You would? That's good to know. But it doesn't mean I'm not going to be intimidated by the thought of her swooping back into your life and taking you away from me. I mean, I love you so much, I don't think I'd survive losing you a second time. I barely survived it the first time when I had to leave you behind in New Mexico."</p><p>"I know...but I'm not going anywhere. I want to have everything with you, Kate. I want to get married, have a baby, get a place for the three of us..."</p><p>"I want that too. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Kate made a decision at that moment and she smiled at Alex and said, "And if your ex tries to come between us...I will fight for you. And I don't fight fair." Kate leaned closer and kissed Alex.</p><p>Alex kissed her back and then smiled, "That's good to know." Then she yawned and cuddled closer, "I'm sleepy after all that amazing sex. What do you say we take a nice nap and then call for take-out?"</p><p>Kate smiled and tightened her grip on Alex, "That sounds like a great idea." Kate nuzzled Alex's neck as she rubbed Alex's stomach.</p><p>Alex yawned again, but before she fell asleep, she imagined Kate giving her a tummy rub while she was pregnant with their baby and it made her so happy.</p><p>Kate watched as Alex fell asleep in her arms and she smiled, thinking Alex looked so angelic when she slept. Before Kate closed her eyes, she pictured a cherubic baby with Alex's blue eyes smiling up at her from the blonde's arms. Kate fell asleep with a smile on her face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Meet the Squad</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alex's first day of working at the 12th Precinct. She meets the detectives and their tag-along and gets a bit of a surprise. Also, a little more depth to Kate's past and a newer understanding between Alex and Kate.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We once again reference Kate's previous abusive relationship, though without going into too much detail. This chapter fleshes out Kate's history. It also shows how a mature relationship handles it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Early on Monday morning, Alex woke up about 7:00. She'd set the alarm the night before to make sure that she'd be up on time to make it to her new job by 8:30. She got ready, taking a shower and putting all the final touches on her hair and makeup before getting dressed in a black Armani suit. It was just like the old days again, only this time she had much more hope for her future. She left the hotel just in time to meet the car she had waiting downstairs and instructed the driver to take her to the 12th precinct.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Monday morning, Kate walked into the precinct in an irritated mood. She understood that Alex had wanted to spend the night at her hotel so she wouldn't be late for her first day back at the DA's office, but she hated that it meant she had to spend the night alone.</p>
<p>Kate hadn't been able to sleep very well and she'd had a cup of coffee at home before she even made it into work. When that didn't prove to be enough, she stopped at her favorite coffee shop for a cup of the 'red-eye' coffee she usually got when she had to pull an all-nighter. Without it, she knew she wouldn't make it to noon. Kate walked into the squad room and the first thing she saw was Castle standing by her desk.</p>
<p>Despite the fact that she knew she shouldn't, Kate let her bad mood take over and said, in an annoyed tone, "What are you doing here Castle? Don't you have bigger, more lucrative fish to fry?"</p>
<p>Kate was still a little ticked that he had insulted the character he'd based on her. Especially now that she knew that Alex thought it was hot that the character was based on the detective.</p>
<p>Castle looked up at Beckett and said, "Actually I just left my sunglasses here yesterday."</p>
<p>"Yeah, right," Kate said. She knew the way Castle functioned. He'd often use something innocuous to worm his way into her day and this time she wasn't letting him get away with it. Unfortunately for her, he was telling the truth and he held up the glasses as proof.</p>
<p>She sucked it up and figured that since he was there collecting his possessions, she might as well tell him to take the little Russian nesting dolls he'd given to her with him as well. "While you're at it, don't forget those," she said as she pointed to the dolls on her desk, and then she walked away, clearly still upset.</p>
<p>She walked up to Ryan and Esposito and they filled her in what they'd learned over the weekend about their victim. While they were discussing, Detective Karpowski interrupted them to let them know that the victim's Super was on the phone inquiring about the apartment.</p>
<p>Kate thought nothing of the information but Castle found it odd that the apartment was paid up to Friday when the victim was killed last Thursday. He mentioned it to Becket and soon they were off to talk to the building Super who ended up telling them that someone had slipped the rent under his door the Friday after the victim was killed. He also revealed that someone was picking up her mail.</p>
<p>Beckett decided to sit in her car with Castle and wait for the mystery woman to show up for the mail. She had a hunch that it was Talbot's wife who was there to collect the threatening letter she'd mailed to the victim. As they sat in the car talking Kate could feel her bad mood slipping away.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alex walked into the precinct and was instantly met with several pairs of staring eyes. She resisted her urge to jump under one of the desks and hide and instead walked with her head held high to Captain Montgomery's office. She knocked on the door and waited for him to open it.</p>
<p>Captain Roy Montgomery was at his desk going over the usual paperwork when there was a knock on his door. Since his detectives usually just walked in, he knew this must be someone else so he looked up and said, "Come in."</p>
<p>Alex opened the door and smiled, "Hi, Captain Montgomery, I'm Alexandra Cabot, your new ADA?" She walked in after shutting the door and reached out her hand to shake his. She knew basically nothing about the man, but she hoped for the best.</p>
<p>Captain Montgomery stood up when the lovely blonde entered the room and he smiled as he shook her hand, "Hello Ms. Cabot. I was told you would be starting today. Welcome to the homicide division of the 12th Precinct."</p>
<p>"Thank you," she said with a polite smile. "I've never worked with Homicide before. I'm sure it's going to be quite an experience."</p>
<p>He smiled as he thought about Castle's involvement in their cases, "Oh yeah, it'll be...interesting. I'm sure you'll fit right in. Come on, I'll introduce you to the squad." Montgomery led Alex out of his office and into the bullpen. Ryan and Esposito were at their desks doing paperwork. "Ok guys, listen up. This is Alexandra Cabot, she's our new ADA. Ms. Cabot these are Detectives Ryan and Esposito."</p>
<p>She smiled and extended her hand, first to Ryan because he was closer, then to Esposito. "It's nice to meet you both."</p>
<p>Ryan stood up and shook her hand, a little mesmerized by her blue eyes. He shook it off after a couple of moments and welcomed her to Homicide. Esposito was a little less mesmerized but still took a second longer than he maybe should have to shake her hand.</p>
<p>Montgomery looked around then asked the guys, "Hey, where are they?" He motioned to the empty desk a few feet away from the guys.</p>
<p>The guys looked at each other then Esposito said, "They went to talk to the Super of Sokol's building. Should be back in a bit."</p>
<p>Alex looked back at the Captain, "So we're waiting on one more?"</p>
<p>Montgomery smirked and winked at the guys, "Um, one more detective yeah, and one surprise tag along." He wanted to see Ms. Cabot's reaction first hand when she found out Rick Castle was part of the team, so to speak.</p>
<p>She raised an eyebrow, "Should I be concerned about this surprise?" Alex wasn't particularly fond of surprises, especially when it came to work.</p>
<p>Montgomery just smiled, "Concern isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Don't worry Ms. Cabot, it's not bad."</p>
<p>The guys chuckled then went back to their paperwork. Suddenly Esposito's phone rang and he answered it, talking to the person on the other end briefly before hanging up. He turned to Montgomery, "That was them, they're on their way back with a suspect. ETA's about ten minutes."</p>
<p>Montgomery nodded and then turned to Alex, "Do you have some time to wait around?"</p>
<p>Alex looked at her watch and nodded, "Um, sure. I don't have to be back at my office until 11:30."</p>
<p>Montgomery smiled, "Good, you're welcome to wait in the lounge. We have an espresso machine if you want a coffee. If you'll excuse me though I have to finish some paperwork. Ryan?"</p>
<p>Ryan stood up and led the blonde into the lounge and showed her the machine. He smiled, "So, um, where did you work before you transferred here?"</p>
<p>"I was with Special Victims over at the 16th, but that was several years ago," she said as she got a cup and placed it under the spout. She pressed a button and the machine whirred to life.</p>
<p>Ryan was impressed, "Special Victims? That's, um, rape victims right?" He shook his head, "Live victims? That's gotta be tough."</p>
<p>"Uh, yeah, it's...a challenge. But it really made me appreciate the little things in life and I'll always be grateful for that."</p>
<p>Ryan nodded but before he could say anything the elevator opened and he glanced over to see who was stepping off. It was Beckett and Castle with a blonde and he smiled. "There they are."</p>
<p>Alex turned and nearly dropped her coffee to the floor when she saw Kate, <i>her</i> Kate walking across the room.</p>
<p>Ryan turned to the blonde and noticed her reaction. He was curious to know why she looked as white as a sheet, so he asked, "Are you ok Ms. Cabot? You look like you've seen a ghost." Ryan, clearly concerned, stepped closer.</p>
<p>Before Alex could reply to Ryan, she saw Richard Castle and nearly fainted. This, this was Captain Montgomery's surprise? She set her coffee down before she burned herself and shut her eyes. Maybe it was all a dream. That's it, she was still asleep in her hotel room and this was some bizarre dream borne of eating Chinese food after nine combined with her jitters over her new job.</p>
<p>Ryan was really starting to get really worried, but before he could do anything, Esposito stuck his head in and said, "Hey, Ryan, Cap wants Miss Cabot to observe the interrogation." Esposito walked up to Alex and noticed she looked a little pale. "Um Miss Cabot, are you ok?" Esposito looked to Ryan, who shrugged and then turned back to the blonde.</p>
<p>"I'm fine...just having a small hallucination, but I'll be fine in just a minute." She took a breath and opened her eyes and when she didn't see either Kate or Castle anymore, she sighed, "Better."</p>
<p>Esposito decided not to push it and said, "Ok well, the Captain wants to know if you want to observe the interrogation, just to ease your way into Homicide."</p>
<p>"Sure, just show me where I need to go," she said with a smile.</p>
<p>Esposito led Alex out of the lounge and across the bullpen, but before they could make it halfway across, Rick Castle and Kate Beckett stepped out of the interrogation room and headed their way. Kate had to tell her Captain that they needed a warrant for the victim's mail and Castle just needed another cup of coffee.</p>
<p>Kate and Castle stopped in their tracks when they noticed Esposito with a blonde and Kate was stunned to see that it was Alex standing there. Suddenly she couldn't move. Castle, on the other hand, didn't have any problem when he recognized the blonde as the same woman from his party.</p>
<p>He smiled as he approached the blonde, "Well hello there, I see you've found me...Alex. How are you?" It was easy for Rick to remember her name because it was so similar to his daughter's name, Alexis. He smiled charmingly and extended his hand.</p>
<p>Alex realized this was really happening and took a breath. She reached out her hand and shook his, "Hello Mr. Castle, it's nice to see you again. Though to be honest, I wasn't expecting to see you here of all places."</p>
<p>Rick just grinned, "Yes, I'm helping out the NYPD, you know providing a new insight based on my years of experience with researching for my books." Castle remembered that Beckett was next to him and he smiled, "Alex, this is Detective Beckett, she was the inspiration for Nikki Heat." Castle presented Kate to the blonde, hoping to impress the other woman with his connection to the NYPD in addition to mentioning his latest bestseller.</p>
<p>Kate stood there watching Castle hit on Alex and she felt the familiar jealousy bubble to the surface, especially when she saw Alex's hand touching Castle's. She forced herself to pretend like nothing was amiss and said, "Nice to meet you." Then she turned to Castle, "Castle, for god's sake stop bringing up Nikki Heat, it's not cute."</p>
<p>Alex looked at Kate and followed her lead, "Nice to meet you too, Detective Beckett." She was still trying to digest everything that was happening. Honestly, she couldn't believe the odds.</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Alex and asked, "Um, what brings you here?"</p>
<p>"I'm your new ADA. I'm going to be prosecuting your cases from now on," she said, keeping a neutral face so she wouldn't tip anyone off.</p>
<p>Kate had an idea and turned to Castle, "Hey Castle, can you fill the Captain and the guys in on Nurse Do-Right while I talk to...Alex...about a warrant?" Then she turned to Alex, "Can I talk to you in private please?" Kate watched as Castle took the hint and led Esposito and Ryan, who had come out of the lounge, into the Captain's office to tell them about the nurse and the mail.</p>
<p>Once the guys were in the Captain's office, Kate led Alex to the observation room and locked the door behind them. She turned to Alex, "So, this is your new job?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, the DA gave me a choice and I picked Homicide. I had no idea that you'd be here."</p>
<p>Kate looked at Alex for a moment before she glanced around and noticed no one could see them from the outside. Kate stepped closer to Alex, slipped her arms around her waist, and kissed her, quickly but firmly, before she pulled away. Kate smiled at Alex, "I missed you last night."</p>
<p>"I missed you too, babe. I had a hard time falling asleep without you, but I didn't have my stuff and I hated to wake you early just so I could go back to the hotel and get ready. Forgive me?" she asked with a pout.</p>
<p>Kate smiled and kissed her again, "Yeah I forgive you...as long as you spend tonight with me. Bring some clothes for tomorrow ok?" </p>
<p>"I promise. I'll go home and pack some stuff before I go over." </p>
<p>Kate took a breath and then asked, "So, we're going to be working together huh?"</p>
<p>Then she nodded, "Yeah. Um, how do you think we should handle this? I mean, do you want us to continue pretending like this is the first time we've ever met?"</p>
<p>Kate thought about that for a moment. She didn't want Alex to think she was ashamed of her or that she wanted to hide their relationship, but she also didn't want Alex to start her new job as 'Kate's girlfriend'. "Um...I don't know, I mean, I love you and I don't want you to think that I don't want them to know about us, but you just started here and I don't want them to judge you as my girlfriend before you have a chance to impress them as our ADA." Kate paused for a moment then asked, "So, would you be ok with acting like we just met?" Kate hoped she wasn't messing up her chance with Alex by asking her to pretend they were just friends.</p>
<p>Alex pulled away and was silent for several moments as she thought about Kate's reasoning. She turned back to look at the brunette and said, "Honey, I'm not asking you to announce that we're a couple...but I also don't want to pretend like I don't know you. What if I slipped up and said the wrong thing, you know? Can't we just...say we're friends? That we knew each other and now that I've moved home, we're reconnecting?"</p>
<p>Kate nodded, grateful that Alex had thought of that angle. She knew Alex wasn't asking for much and that the blonde would never pressure her to come out if she wasn't ready. Kate realized that this was a turning point in their relationship and if she chose wrong, she could lose Alex.</p>
<p>"How about we stick as close to the truth as possible? We can say we met when I was on vacation in New Mexico and you recently moved back to New York. That way, we don't have to worry about what we say, ok?"</p>
<p>Alex smiled and nodded, "I think that sounds like a plan." She walked back over to Kate and put her arms around her, kissing her firmly on the lips before pulling back. "As much as I hate to say this, we should probably go back out there before they start to wonder what's going on. Do you have plans for lunch?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "If you can get me the warrant I need, I'll be all yours for lunch." Kate kissed Alex on the nose, "Deal?"</p>
<p>"I'll get right on it. What's it for?" Alex asked and then reluctantly let go of Kate.</p>
<p>"Well, we need a warrant to open a letter in the victim's mail," she said and then proceeded to fill Alex in on the details about the case. "So, can you get it?"</p>
<p>"Based on what you told me, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll call you once I get it." She pecked Kate one last time on the lips and then walked over to the door and opened it, "After you."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she walked past Alex, she whispered, "Tonight, I'll show you how much I missed you last night." Kate slipped out of the room and headed for the interrogation room. She saw Castle standing outside waiting for her and without a word she opened the door and went in to question the nurse. Castle slipped in behind her to watch.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The day passed quickly and once the warrant came through, Beckett and Castle brought Doctor Talbot and his wife in, and together, thanks to some fancy footwork they were able to get the doctor to confess to killing Eliska Sokol. As it turned out, the doctor has switched Sokol's baby with his own just after they were born and he murdered the victim to keep her from telling his wife that their son, Zane, was actually Sokol's son.</p>
<p>After she sent the doctor to be booked and processed, she brought the victim's ex-husband in to meet Mrs. Talbot in the hopes that they could find a way to raise Zane together. When she saw that they were getting along just fine without her, Kate slipped out and headed for home with a smile on her face. She was walking down the hallway towards her apartment when she saw Alex standing against the wall next to her door. Kate grinned as she walked up to her gorgeous blonde girlfriend, "Hey baby, been waiting long?"</p>
<p>Alex smiled,  "I guess I'm a little early. I kept hoping you'd get off the elevator before any of your neighbors did. I didn't want them to think I was weird for sitting outside your door with a suitcase."</p>
<p>Kate stepped closer and took Alex into her arms. She kissed her and said, "I personally don't care what the neighbors think, but let's get inside before we end up giving them a show ok?" Kate took out her keys and opened the door, letting Alex walk in first.</p>
<p>Alex rolled her suitcase and said, "I'm going to go put this into your room if that's ok."</p>
<p>"Go right ahead. I'll see what I can make us for dinner. What are you in the mood for?" Kate asked as she closed the door behind them.</p>
<p>"Anything is fine with me. You're an amazing cook," she smiled and then rolled her luggage to the bedroom. She set it down in the corner out of the way and then took off her heels, putting them next to her bag. She walked back into the living room and asked, "Do you want to watch a movie after dinner?"</p>
<p>Kate looked up from the other side of the fridge door and smiled, "That sounds good. I've got the makings of a nice pasta dish, why don't you go pick out a DVD while I get started on dinner?"</p>
<p>Alex nodded and then went to the entertainment center to find something. She looked at the selection and asked, "How about The Devil Wears Prada?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Yeah that sounds good. I'll get started with dinner." Kate went back to her task of gathering the ingredients while the bowtie pasta boiled.</p>
<p>Alex popped the DVD in the player and let it load, but didn't press play. She walked into the kitchen and smiled as she watched Kate standing at the stove. She loved that sight. "So, I picked up some wine on the way over. Are we having red sauce or white?"</p>
<p>Kate looked up from the stove where she was preparing the sauce and smiled at Alex, "Alfredo sauce. Is that ok?"</p>
<p>"Sounds great. I picked up a bottle of red and white just in case. I'll be right back." She went to the bedroom and opened her bag, taking out the two bottles before returning to the kitchen. She set the bottle of white down and put the red on the rack next to the sink. Then she went to the utensil drawer and pulled out the corkscrew.</p>
<p>Kate watched Alex's movements in her kitchen and smiled at how familiar she was with the layout. It had only been a few days but already Alex looked like she belonged there and Kate suddenly had a vision of Alex living there with her. She could see the two of them making dinner together every night, Kate teaching Alex to cook and then watching a movie or listening to music before heading to bed together. Needless to say, Kate liked that idea. In Santa Fe, they had, in a sense, lived together and Kate wanted that back.</p>
<p>She idly wondered if it was too soon to ask Alex to stay with her, but decided to bring it up later that night to see how Alex felt about it. For now, she turned back to the stove with a smile.</p>
<p>After popping the cork, Alex took two wine glasses from the cupboard above her. She poured two equal amounts and then walked over to hand Kate her glass so that she could take a sip. Alex set her own glass down and put her arms around Kate, kissing her on the neck. "Ryan and Esposito must think I'm crazy..."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, though she was a little puzzled, "Why would you say that?"</p>
<p>"Because I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you and Castle walk into the precinct. Seriously, I thought I was having some sort of weird dream."</p>
<p>Kate chuckled, "And they were with you when that happened?"</p>
<p>"Yes. I had a little moment while I was getting some coffee and they both saw it..." she said, burying her face into Kate's neck.</p>
<p>Kate tilted her head back and to the side to allow Alex better access. "So, why would seeing me make you think you were hallucinating? I know you weren't expecting to see me there but...am I what you would hallucinate? And with Castle, no less?"</p>
<p>"Because it was just...surreal. Honestly, I've had weirder things happen in my dreams after eating Chinese late at night, but think about it, what are the odds of you and Rick Castle walking into the place where I just started work? Not saying I wasn't thrilled to see you, just weirded out."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "I can see how that would mess with your head. Don't worry baby, the guys won't care that you zoned out for a moment." Kate turned to face Alex and wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck, "I like the idea of working together, which means I'll get to see you more." Then she leaned forward and kissed Alex.</p>
<p>Alex smiled, "You think you'll still feel that way after we work our first case?"</p>
<p>Kate looked at Alex, "Why wouldn't I?" Granted, she hadn't really worked with ADAs much. Of the few times she had, it was usually when she had to testify in court, and based on that, she was pretty ok with her experiences.</p>
<p>"I can be kind of tough," Alex said, putting on a hard face.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "I've dealt with tough. Besides, since I don't send cases to the DA's office until we have the right guy, so there shouldn't be a problem. If I can deal with Castle's annoying presence, I think I can handle you in 'tough' mode." Kate placed a kiss on Alex's neck.</p>
<p>Alex grinned, "Oh yeah? We'll see about that later...maybe I'll have to play a little rough." She tweaked an eyebrow and spanked Kate on the ass.</p>
<p>Kate grinned and lightly bit down on Alex's neck, soothing the mark with her tongue before pulling back. When she glanced down at the mark, all traces of playfulness vanished and she suddenly flashed back to their last morning together in Santa Fe. She remembered that moment in the shower when she'd lost control and bitten Alex. Kate began to lightly shake and she pulled away from Alex, turning her attention back to the stove.</p>
<p>Alex knew exactly what had crossed Kate's mind and she touched the brunette's shoulder, "Honey, don't..."</p>
<p>Kate was spiraling into the past, remembering how she'd hurt Alex and how she'd vowed never to do that again. She was deep in her thoughts when the touch of Alex's hand on her shoulder startled her back to reality and she jumped a little.</p>
<p>Alex rubbed Kate's back, "Kate, look at me please..."</p>
<p>Kate took a breath then and there were tears in her eyes but they hadn't fallen yet. She lowered her head, unable to look at Alex after having bitten her again, leaving teeth marks on her again, even if they were faint.</p>
<p>Alex lifted Kate's chin and looked into her eyes, "Baby, please...come on, don't cry. I'm fine, see?" She touched her shoulder and there was only a bit of faint pink.</p>
<p>Kate blinked the tears away and looked at Alex's neck. When she saw that teeth marks were gone she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "I'm sorry Alex. I...I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry I hurt you."</p>
<p>Kate threw herself into Alex's arms and held her tight, her face buried in Alex's chest, well away from her neck.</p>
<p>Alex soothed her, "Shhh, Kate, it's ok. You didn't hurt me. You were just being playful like I was. It's ok for us to do that because we know the limit...you know what's ok and what's not."</p>
<p>Kate turned her head so her words wouldn't be muffled when she said, "I'm just, scared of going too far. I crossed the line in Santa Fe, and I almost crossed it again. I'm scared that one day I'll lose myself and really hurt you." Kate tightened her grip on Alex's waist.</p>
<p>"Honey, we need to really sit down and talk about this...I don't want you to always be terrified of hurting me," Alex said, holding her close.</p>
<p>Kate thought about that and she knew Alex was right. "Ok, but can it wait until after dinner? I just, need a little distance between this and talking about it, is that ok?" Kate needed time to fortify herself for such a conversation. She didn't want to hurt Alex ever in any way and she knew that if they didn't talk about this, it would always be hanging over their relationship.</p>
<p>"Of course. Why don't I go set the table and give you some time, ok?" She kissed Kate on the lips and then went to another cabinet to take out some pasta bowls. She set them down next to the stove for Kate and then took two sets of silverware from a drawer and went to the dining room to set them out.</p>
<p>Kate waited for Alex to leave the kitchen before she rested her hands on the counter and took a deep breath. 'I can do this, it's no big deal. We can talk about this and it'll be ok. I can control myself, I can keep myself from hurting Alex. I can do this.' Kate thought to herself. She lifted her head and squared her shoulders before serving the pasta into the bowls. She carried them into the dining room and smiled when she noticed that Alex had also brought the wine glasses to the table. "Let's eat."</p>
<p>Alex smiled and sat down. She topped off both glasses of wine and then picked up her fork, "This looks amazing, Kate." She took some pasta onto her fork and blew on it before taking a bite, "Mmmm."</p>
<p>Kate smiled and began eating. She loved it that Alex had a normal appetite and that she usually loved anything she cooked. Kate took a sip of her wine. "I'm glad you like it."</p>
<p>"I feel bad that I don't cook more. But I'm nowhere near as good as you, as you might already know," she said with a chuckle. She loved Kate and she wanted her to know that she appreciated everything she did for her.</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "I love cooking for you though. It's one small way for me to show you how much I love you." Kate reached out and placed her hand on Alex's.</p>
<p>Alex smiled, "I know, but I just feel like I don't have anything to give back. It's not about keeping score, I know that, but I feel like a bum."</p>
<p>Kate smiled and said, "You came back to me. You could've stayed in Santa Fe after you were released from Witness Protection. You could've come back to New York and avoided me, forgetting about me and going back to your old squad, your ex even, but you didn't. You came back to me. You kept on loving me this whole time...that's more than I had hoped for this past year. I had thought that you had forgotten about me, found someone else, that our time together was nothing more than a fling for you. Especially after the way I hurt you before I left, but you're here with me. That's enough Alex." Kate gently squeezed Alex's hand as she explained.</p>
<p>Alex squeezed back, "I just...when we're together...I want to be able to do things too. I don't always want to bring home take out when it's my turn to cook or whatever. I want to split things equally..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "Well then...how about I teach you how to cook? I mean if you want that?"</p>
<p>Alex grinned like she was a little kid, "Really? You'd give me lessons?"</p>
<p>"Of course I would. I think it would be fun...especially with the right incentives." Kate grinned. She was already picturing kisses as rewards for good work...and other sexy rewards for bigger jobs.</p>
<p>"I'd love that, Kate. I could come over a few nights or you could come over to my place and we could practice there. It'd be so much fun."</p>
<p>Kate nodded, silently wondering if now was the time to bring up what she was thinking. "Um, Alex...I was wondering about something...how much longer are you planning to live at the hotel?"</p>
<p>"Um, not much longer. About a week, I guess. Why?"</p>
<p>Kate lowered her head and focused on her plate as she said, "Oh, because, um...I was thinking that it might be...good if you um, moved in here? I know we've only been together a few days this time but in Santa Fe, we were together only a few days when you suggested I stay with you. This is like that, except that we know each other better now." Kate stopped talking to give Alex a chance to respond. She stared at her plate as she waited.</p>
<p>Alex took a sip of wine and then spoke in a soft voice, not wanting to hurt Kate's feelings, "Honey, I...I would like that, but...the thing is, I already put a down payment on a loft, and...to be honest, I think I need a little bit more time before I can move in with you. I just need to get readjusted to New York and I mean, we can spend time together, but I have to find my feet again..." She touched Kate's arm, "Please don't hate me..."</p>
<p>Kate looked up at Alex, "I don't hate you, I never could. I understand that you need time and as much as I would love to live with you now, I can wait until you're ready. I didn't know you already had a place set up. I just didn't want you to keep wasting money on the hotel. So...when you move into this loft, can I come over?"</p>
<p>"Are you kidding? You're going to come over all the time!" she said with a beaming smile. "But I'll make you a deal. How about for the next week I check out of the hotel and stay here? Does that sound fair?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "I like that idea. Though it will be hard to have you move out after a week...I'll take a week with you here, all the time, with me." Kate lifted Alex's hand to her lips for a kiss. "Since we're done eating, how about we go watch that movie?"</p>
<p>"Sounds good. Though do you mind if I get a little ice cream? You know how I have a sweet tooth. Do you want some?"</p>
<p>Kate's eyes lit up, "Ooh, sounds good, do you need a hand?"</p>
<p>"No, you go get settled and I'll take care of dessert." She stood and gathered both plates and returned to the kitchen to put them to soak and get the ice cream. About five minutes later, she handed Kate a bowl and joined her on the couch.</p>
<p>Kate waited for Alex to get settled on the couch before she shifted closer and rested her head on the blonde's shoulder. With her ice cream bowl in one hand and the remote in the other, Kate smiled at the domesticity of the moment before she pressed play and set the remote down. She looked up at Alex, "I like this."</p>
<p>"Me too. I love doing this, sharing an amazing meal, and then relaxing together before bed. I love you so much, Kate."</p>
<p>Kate placed her bowl on the coffee table and wrapped her arms around Alex, "I love you too Alex." Kate sighed in contentment then said, "This is how I always wanted it to be with us. This whole year apart, all I wanted was to have you here with me, snuggling on the couch." Kate turned her head and leaned up to kiss Alex.</p>
<p>Alex looked into her eyes, "Me too, honey. I would snuggle up with the pillow you slept on and I could inhale your scent and it somehow made it bearable. But being without you was so hard..."</p>
<p>"Well, at least you had a pillow...I didn't have anything with your scent on it. All I had of you was this," Kate held up her hand with the ring Alex had given her. Kate had slipped it on while Alex went to get the ice cream. "It kept me close to you in my mind, but it doesn't compare to having you right here with me."</p>
<p>Alex set her own bowl down and kissed Kate, her tongue slipping into the brunette's mouth. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and was enjoying being close to her, but she noticed that Kate was hesitant. She pulled back and looked into her eyes, "What's wrong?"</p>
<p>Kate turned to look at the movie on the screen. Andy had just gotten the job with Miranda and she smiled at the scene but then faced Alex, "I...it's just...I think we should be careful."</p>
<p>Alex exhaled, "Forever?"</p>
<p>Kate frowned, "Not forever just...I don't know...I just don't want to risk hurting you."</p>
<p>"Talk to me about this Kate. You said we would after dinner."</p>
<p>Kate sighed, "Remember when I told you about Amber?" Alex nodded, "Well...what I didn't tell you was what happened after I got away from her." Kate stopped, unsure if she could actually say what she'd done.</p>
<p>Alex paused the movie and then took Kate's hand, "It's ok baby, I'm here."</p>
<p>Kate took a breath, "Lanie convinced me that I needed something to help me heal, so I started taking self-defense lessons. I got very...um...well I think the word Lanie used near the end was obsessed. I started doing strength training as well as fighting moves. When I joined the academy, I would take on anyone who wanted to spar, men, women, it didn't matter. I sent them all limping off the mat. It got to the point where no one wanted to spar with me. I haven't really been in a serious relationship with anyone since then, apart from the occasional date, but I know that I have the strength to seriously hurt you if I lose control. The biting is the least of my worries." Kate had to stop talking, scared that Alex would be angry with her and ready to leave.</p>
<p>"You make it sound like you're some sort of monster. You're strong, you have to be in your line of work, but it doesn't mean that you're going to start throwing me into walls or punching me in the face. That's not you, Kate. I don't care how many people you sparred with, being in a controlled environment where you can let go and being here is different and you know that."</p>
<p>Kate slowly shook her head, "But what happens the next time we're playing around and I forget myself and I hurt you? I don't like the thought that I could do that, I never want to hurt you, Alex."</p>
<p>"I'm not a China doll, Kate. I'm tough..." she said with a smile. "So long as you don't plan to bite me so hard that you take a piece of me with you, I can handle the occasional playful bite..."</p>
<p>"This isn't funny Alex. In Santa Fe, I almost did break the skin." Kate wasn't ready to joke about this.</p>
<p>"But you didn't, Kate. You knew when enough was enough. I trust you to know that now, too," Alex said, the smile gone from her face. "I mean, if you're telling me that you're always going to feel like this, how are we supposed to move forward?"</p>
<p>Kate thought about that. She wanted to have a life with the beautiful blonde, a family eventually. She wanted to move forward and Kate knew the only way she would be able to do that was by easing into the playful fun. "I don't know. But I have an idea. If you're willing to be patient with me." Kate had a sudden fear that this would be too much for Alex, that she would decide it wasn't worth it and leave her...and in Kate's mind, when Alex left her, it was always to go back to her ex.</p>
<p>"Tell me," Alex said, caressing Kate's cheek, encouraging her to be honest.</p>
<p>Kate took a breath. "I love you, Alex, I want us to one day have a family and get married and spend the rest of my life with you. I don't ever want to lose you. I think I might be able to get past this fear I have if we...take it slowly. Start small and work our way up to the big stuff." Kate smiled, "I liked that little tap you gave me earlier...I think we should start with something small like that." Kate looked carefully at Alex, "What do you think?"</p>
<p>Alex nodded, "I think that sounds like a great idea. We can practice as much as it takes to get you comfortable." She kissed Kate's nose and rested her forehead against the brunette's, "I just want you to feel safe and secure."</p>
<p>Kate sighed in relief and spoke from her heart, "I feel safe when I'm with you, like this. Just us together with no pressure or anything. You and I had a great weekend together, I felt safe with you. It's only when the...kinky stuff comes into play that I start getting nervous." Kate knew she sounded like a boring, vanilla-flavored prude but she couldn't help it.</p>
<p>"Honey, I'll be honest with you, I'm not very adventurous usually. I like the occasional fun like a little spanking or silk scarves, but trust me, I won't put you in a position where you feel uncomfortable. When you're ready to experiment a little with me, we can, but until then, I'm more than happy having boring ol' mind-blowing sex," she said with a grin.</p>
<p>Kate smiled and leaned forward to kiss Alex. She let her tongue slip out and when Alex opened her mouth, Kate slipped her tongue in and deepened the kiss. Kate ran her hand around Alex's waist and pulled her closer, loving the feel of Alex's body against hers. Kate let out a moan at the contact.</p>
<p>Alex started leaning back, pulling Kate with her. She just wanted to kiss Kate and let her know that everything was going to be ok. She rubbed Kate's back, lifting her blouse to gently scratch her skin.</p>
<p>Kate shifted and pressed forward, following Alex down on the couch. Kate placed her hands on the couch to hold herself above Alex as she pulled back and said, "I love you." Kate lowered her head and began kissing Alex's neck, being very careful to keep her teeth away as she licked and kissed and sucked on Alex's soft skin.</p>
<p>"I love you too. Never forget that."</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she continued down to Alex's collarbone. She lifted her head and asked, teasingly, "So...did you want to finish watching the movie or...?" Kate left the other option open, letting Alex fill in the blank.</p>
<p>"We can always finish it later...let's go to your room." She sat up with Kate and took the detective's hand. She led her to the bedroom and helped her down onto the bed so that they could pick up where they'd left off.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kate's concern over her strength may seem OOC but it is in keeping with the backstory we gave her in chapter 7 of having once been in an abusive relationship and now we know the aftermath of that. How she got through it with Lanie's help.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Revelations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alex and Kate make a plan to tell Kate's friends about them. Some other details come to light as they plan their coming out. The green-eyed monster pokes his head around the corner here but is quickly shooed away.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Two weeks later...</i>
</p>
<p>The next two weeks passed in relative calmness. Alex stayed with Kate for a week until her loft was ready, and then Kate helped her move in. That first night, they christened every room in the loft, and slowly it started to feel like home for Alex. Although they'd decided to have separate spaces, for now, they often spent the night at each other's places to help them ease into the idea of living together.</p>
<p>Kate was grateful that things at home were going so well because work was really starting to frustrate her. Castle had taken to hitting on Alex every time they were in the same room together, and Kate knew he was doing it on purpose because she'd made the mistake of telling him that she didn't like it. Of course, Castle believed that Kate's dislike of his flirting with Alex stemmed from the fact that she was jealous that he wasn't hitting on her, which made him happy. He wanted Kate to feel like she was missing out.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Kate had no choice but to let him think that she was upset over the lack of attention because she wasn't ready to tell him the truth. The only thing that kept her somewhat sane was the fact that Alex never encouraged him. She also found comfort when she realized that today was her last day at work for the week, and tomorrow night, she'd have Alex all to herself.</p>
<p>They decided to spend the night at Alex's loft, and after a wonderful dinner, the two retired to the living room to cuddle on the couch. There was light jazz playing in the background as Kate held Alex in her arms, and everything was quiet, at least until Alex's cell phone rang. The blonde slowly reached over to the coffee table to see who was calling and sighed when she saw Rick's picture on the screen.</p>
<p>Kate shook her head, "Don't answer it."</p>
<p>"He'll keep calling until I do. Just give me one second, and I'll get rid of him, ok?" Alex slid her finger across the screen to answer, "Hello, Rick."</p>
<p>Castle smiled when he heard Alex's voice, "Alex, hi, how's my favorite lawyer doing?"</p>
<p>"I'm fine. How are you?"</p>
<p>Kate began lightly rubbing circles on Alex's bare stomach as she talked on the phone.</p>
<p>Castle was walking around his home office, "I'm good. I was wondering if you wanted to meet me for a drink tonight?"</p>
<p>Although Beckett had told him that Alex had a date that night, he was confident that the blonde would say yes. Beckett always said that Alex had a date whenever he brought up his plans to ask the blonde out, but there was no evidence she was dating anyone. Alex had always responded well to his flirting, so he knew that Beckett was just trying to keep the two of them apart. Normally he'd take that as a good indicator of Kate's interest, but the more time that passed, the more Castle realized that he was really starting to like Alex, and he knew that he wanted to take a chance with her.</p>
<p>Alex closed her eyes and tried to keep from moaning while Kate tickled her. She registered the words "me" and "drink," and she opened her eyes again, "Oh...um, you know, I can't. I'm actually with someone right now... I'm sorry, Rick."</p>
<p>Castle was surprised by her answer, but he quickly rallied, "Oh. Well, that's fine. Maybe another night? I promise you'll have fun." Castle wasn't going to give up that easily.</p>
<p>"Well, you see, the thing is, it's getting pretty serious, so I don't think we'll be able to go for drinks anytime in the foreseeable future. I'm really sorry," she said. It was a heartfelt apology; she hated hurting anyone's feelings.</p>
<p>Rick was quiet for a moment, and then he said, "Oh, I see. Well, whoever he is, he's a really lucky guy. I'm just going to say goodnight, but before I do, can we pretend this phone call never happened?" He wasn't keen on getting teased by the guys and Beckett if Alex told them about this.</p>
<p>"Of course. I hope you find someone really special, Rick. Have a good night." Alex ended the call and set the phone down. She let out a deep breath and then realized that Kate had stilled. She looked at the brunette and said, "Uh oh...are you going to kill him?"</p>
<p>Kate brought herself out of her fantasies of torturing Castle and looked at Alex, "What?"</p>
<p>"I asked if you're planning to kill him?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled at Alex, "Who? Castle? No, that would be way too much paperwork." Kate's hand flattened against Alex's stomach.</p>
<p>"Good, because I really don't want to drive up to Rikers when I want to see you. I would do it, but I wouldn't like it. Besides, it was pretty harmless. He just wanted to go out for a drink, and he backed off once I told him I was seeing someone."</p>
<p>Kate wasn't convinced, though, "He may have backed off, but that doesn't mean he'll give up. He'll bide his time, wait until it looks like you're single again or that you were lying about seeing someone, and he'll ask you out again. He's like that."</p>
<p>"So what do you want to do? I mean, there's not a whole lot of options short of telling him that we're dating or getting me a fake boyfriend..."</p>
<p>Kate had been thinking a lot about that lately...usually when she had to sit back and watch Castle hitting on Alex: bringing her coffee, complimenting her outfits, and now, asking her out. Kate began lightly rubbing Alex's stomach again as she said, "Well...I've been thinking about this, and I was wondering how you would feel about telling Castle and the guys about us."</p>
<p>Alex's mouth fell open slightly, and she just looked at Kate. Did she just hear what she thought she heard? "You- you'd be willing to tell them about us?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she began to feel more and more like this was the right thing to do. "Yeah, I am. I'm not saying we'll tell the whole world because we both have to be careful about our public image, you with the DA's office and me with the whole Nikki Heat thing, but...yeah, I want the guys to know about us. Would you be okay with it?"</p>
<p>Alex beamed and nodded, "Yes! Oh my God, yes! You have no idea how much I want this. Just to be able to be honest for the first time and not have to watch what I say or how I look at you would be a dream come true, baby!"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Good, I'm glad you feel that way. I know it's been hard these last two weeks hiding our relationship at work. It's been hard for me too. I've been so scared of saying the wrong thing or letting my hand linger too long on your arm when I'm making a point." Kate pulled Alex closer, "I want us to be open about our relationship. No more hiding." Kate leaned forward and kissed Alex's lips.</p>
<p>Alex kissed her back, showing all the love and appreciation she felt over Kate's bravery. She pulled back and gazed deep into Kate's eyes, "You can wear your ring to work once we tell them."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Yes, I can. And I promise I will." Kate kissed Alex again, then pulled back and said, "I thought that maybe we should invite the guys, Castle, and Lanie over for lunch tomorrow and tell them. What do you think?"</p>
<p>"I think that'd be great. We can have a late lunch here with some nice, light jazz playing in the background, and we can order out unless you want to cook. I'll open up this special bottle of wine that I've been saving for a special occasion, and we'll just have fun. Sound good?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Yeah, I like that. And we can order out. It'll be less stressful that way." Kate hugged Alex closer, "We're really going to do this, right? You sure you want this?" Kate didn't want Alex to feel pressured just because the brunette couldn't keep her jealousy in line.</p>
<p>Alex nodded, the glint in her eyes telling Kate that she was ready, "Yeah, I want this more than I can say. I know that it's a big step and that it might change things for us at work, but with you by my side, we can handle anything."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "Yeah, we can." Kate leaned forward and began kissing Alex's neck.</p>
<p>Alex smiled, pulling her hair back for Kate, but then a thought crossed her mind. "Um, babe, I hate to spoil the mood, but are you sure that you're ready to do this? I got so caught up thinking about me that I didn't even bother to ask you."</p>
<p>Kate lifted her head and smiled, "Yeah, sweetie, I'm sure. I want us to be able to be in the same room together without having to worry about saying the wrong thing. I want you to be able to sit on the corner of my desk in your short, tight skirts that show off your gorgeous legs while others are in the room, not just after hours when we're alone. More than anything, I want to let Castle know once and for all that you're mine so he'll stop hitting on you. Seriously, if I have to listen to him flirt with you or ask you out for drinks one more time, I am going to hurt him."</p>
<p>Alex smiled and then pulled Kate back to her, "You're not the only one who's glad that's going to stop. His charm was laid on so thick I felt like I needed a shower after talking to him."</p>
<p>Kate giggled, "I know what you mean. Do you know, the first time I met him, he actually said to me, 'if it makes you feel any better, I'd be happy to let you spank me'?" Kate shook her head.</p>
<p>Alex raised an eyebrow, "You know, I should really introduce him to an old friend of mine...he's a big fan of spanking, and he might just put Castle in his place..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "I like the way you think. Though I don't think Castle swings that way." Kate leaned down and kissed Alex's neck.</p>
<p>"Hey, you never know...look at you and me," she said with a chuckle. She ran her fingers through Kate's hair, "You know, I had a baby dream last night..."</p>
<p>Kate wiggled her eyebrows as she smiled, "Oh really? Want to tell me about it?"</p>
<p>"Well, we were at my mom's old house upstate, and little Lis was about six months old or so. She was on her tummy on her favorite blanket, learning how to crawl. She was headed in your direction, and the way she smiled when she looked at you just made my heart melt."</p>
<p>Kate smiled, her eyes misting over at the image Alex had described. "That sounds so wonderful. I can't wait until we have our family." Kate kissed Alex again, "I want that with you."</p>
<p>"You can teach our little one all about comic books, gourmet cooking, and mystery novels," Alex said with a chuckle.</p>
<p>"Oh, count on it, baby. Can't have our child go through life not knowing the difference between Marvel and DC," Kate giggled.</p>
<p>"I'll just handle the mundane things like horseback riding and piano playing," Alex said with a chuckle. "She was beautiful...I wish you could've seen it. Brown hair, hazel eyes, and her mom's adorable nose..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned, "You do have an adorable nose, though the rest of you is just as beautiful." Kate began trailing light kisses down Alex's neck to her chest.</p>
<p>"No, no...she had your nose...she was yours, genetically. I carried her for us," Alex said, sighing from the pleasant sensation of Kate's lips on her chest.</p>
<p>Kate stopped her kisses and looked up at Alex, "Really?"</p>
<p>Alex nodded, "Yeah. She looked like a very tiny version of you. It was adorable. Maybe it had something to do with seeing your baby pictures the other night."</p>
<p>Kate shook her head, "I knew I shouldn't have shown you those. Oh well, I like the thought of you pregnant with our baby." Kate lowered her head and slithered down a bit to press kisses on Alex's flat tummy.</p>
<p>Alex smiled down at her and ran her fingers through Kate's hair, "Are you thinking about what it's going to be like when there's a little bump down there?"</p>
<p>Kate looked up at Alex, "Yeah...I think you'd look very sexy with a baby bump."</p>
<p>"We have to get through all the un-sexy stuff first, like morning sickness," Alex said, making a "yuck" face.</p>
<p>Kate smiled, "I'd gladly hold your hair back and rub your feet and wait on you hand and foot during your pregnancy." Kate moved up and kissed Alex, "I love you so much."</p>
<p>"I love you, too, Kate. I can't believe this is all real, and we're actually going to have everything we're talking about..." she said, reaching up to kiss Kate again. After things fell apart between her and Olivia, she never thought she'd have a chance like this again.</p>
<p>Kate dropped a kiss on Alex's nose and said, "Believe it, baby. From now on, you and me, we're going to have everything we've ever talked about. Nothing and no one is ever going to come between us." Kate sealed her promise with a kiss that quickly deepened.</p>
<p>"How do you think Castle is going to handle it when we tell him tomorrow?" Alex asked after they pulled apart from the kiss.</p>
<p>Kate thought about it for a moment and then chuckled as she said, "He'll probably be crushed for all of five seconds before he starts picturing us together and thinking of ways to incorporate this into his next Nikki Heat novel."</p>
<p>"Oh yeah, I hadn't thought about that...I really hope he doesn't get any bright ideas about introducing a blonde ADA.," she said, totally hoping to avoid that situation.</p>
<p>"Oh, I don't know, it might be a great idea. He could call it <i>Legal Heat</i>, you know?" Kate teased.</p>
<p>"You know he's going to want to 'observe' us as research if he does decide to turn Nikki Heat into a lesbian." Alex threw back.</p>
<p>"Yeah, well...not even the Mayor will convince me to let that happen, and if he tries well...we can always introduce him to that friend of yours."</p>
<p>Alex laughed, "Oh, Bruno would love him." Then she asked, "How about we forget all the talk of Castle and go take a nice, hot bath before bed?"</p>
<p>"Yes, please, I love the way you think. I always love taking baths with you." Kate stood up and held her hand out to Alex, "Come on."</p>
<p>Alex took Kate's hand and went with her to the bathroom. She filled the tub and helped Kate undress before undressing herself. She added a few drops of rose oil to the water and then stepped into the tub with Kate, the brunette settling back so that she could hold Alex. She relaxed into Kate's embrace and said, "I got a call from my cousin today. She's going out of town next weekend and wanted to know if I'd be willing to watch Kevin on Saturday. My aunt and uncle are busy, or else they would do it..."</p>
<p>Kate wrapped her arms around Alex's warm, wet body and kissed Alex's neck. "I'd love to meet your little cousin, and I think it would be fun to have him over for the day. Do you think he'll like me?" Kate hadn't met Kevin yet, but she really wanted to get to know him and the rest of Alex's family.</p>
<p>"He'll love you. The only thing is, he might be a little jealous at first, but that's only because of his little boy crush. Once he gets to know you, he's going to forget all about that."</p>
<p>Kate chuckled, "He has a crush on you? Well, I hope he doesn't hate me because you're mine."</p>
<p>"I wouldn't be surprised if he changed his mind and started crushing on you instead. You're pretty irresistible," she said, caressing Kate's thighs.</p>
<p>Kate closed her eyes when she felt Alex's hands on her thighs, and she placed a line of kisses from Alex's shoulder up to her ear lobe. She lightly nibbled on the soft skin before she whispered into Alex's ear, "Somehow, I doubt he'll be easily swayed from his beautiful blonde crush to a plain ol' brunette like me. After all, <i>Gentlemen Prefer Blondes</i> is more than just a movie title. Admittedly, I'm glad you're an exception to that rule." Kate began drawing little circles on Alex's abs.</p>
<p>Alex's abs tightened when Kate mentioned liking brunettes, and she nodded, "Yeah..." It seemed like tall, dark brunettes were her type. Add "detective" to the mix, and that basically encompassed Alex's entire lesbian history. The last thing she wanted Kate to know was how similar she and Olivia happened to be because she knew that Kate would never believe it to be coincidental.</p>
<p>Kate felt the tension in Alex's abs, but she dismissed it as a reaction to her touch. Kate smiled against Alex's neck, "You know, I once toyed with dyeing my hair red, but thankfully Lanie talked me out of it." Kate's tongue reached out and licked the droplets of water from the back of Alex's neck. "I'm glad I stayed a brunette...you might not have looked at me twice if I hadn't listened to Lanie."</p>
<p>"It's not about the color of your hair," Alex said a bit more forcefully than she meant to. She just wanted Kate to know that her attraction wasn't entirely about how she looked physically. It was her personality, her intelligence, her humor, and her kindness.</p>
<p>Kate tightened her grip. "Oh really? Tell me, Miss Cabot, what is it about?" Kate's playful tone made it clear she wasn't as serious as Alex.</p>
<p>"It's about...everything. Not just what's on the outside, but everything. When I first saw you, yeah, I thought you were attractive, but there was more to it than that. It was the way you carried yourself that drew my eye."</p>
<p>Kate thought about that for a moment, and she was reminded of all the times that Lanie teased her about not needing a badge to let people she was a detective. Kate smiled, "The way I carried myself? Lanie's always telling me that even a blind man would know I was a cop by the way I walked." Kate paused a moment, "So, does that mean that you secretly have a thing for cops? I mean, your ex was a cop, and now you're with me..." Kate trailed off, her tone still playful but also a bit curious. Kate chuckled, "Are you a 'badge bunny' Alex?"</p>
<p>Alex sat up, the water quickly filling the space between them, "No, I'm not, ok? It just happened." The suggestion obviously perturbed her.</p>
<p>Kate noticed Alex's agitation, and she quickly sobered up, "Alex, baby, I was only kidding. What's the big deal?" Kate's voice was low but curious.</p>
<p>"The big deal is that I fall in love with who I fall in love with, and it has nothing to do with the job or only dating brunettes or whatever other similarities you want to come up with..."</p>
<p>Kate reached her hand out and cupped Alex's cheek, caressing her skin as she said, "Baby, I know that. I was just kidding around. I mean, you didn't know I was a cop until a few weeks ago, and you already loved me by that point. I'm sorry for bringing up your ex, but..." Kate paused and looked down, "I've tried not to let it get to me, but I can't help but wonder about her. I mean, you loved her, you planned a life with her before you were shot, and...well, it gets to me. I'm sorry." Kate knew she needed to get over her insecurities about Alex's ex, but it was easier said than done.</p>
<p>Alex sighed, "Look, I can't change what happened in my past...all I can do is try and move forward, and I want you with me while I do it. I don't want to get into comparisons between you and her, Kate. She's out of my life, ok?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled, she leaned forward and kissed Alex, "Ok, from now on, I promise I won't bring her up again. Now, are you going to stay all the way over there, or can I hold you in my arms again?"</p>
<p>Alex softened when she saw Kate's puppy dog eyes and leaned back, "You can hold me again. I'm sorry I got so bitchy about that. I just don't want her creeping into our relationship."</p>
<p>Kate wrapped her arms around Alex again and, to keep her promise, she said, "Who?"</p>
<p>Alex chuckled, "Thanks." She closed her eyes and placed her hands back on Kate's thighs, "What do you think we should get for tomorrow?"</p>
<p>Kate smiled as she thought about it for a moment, "Do you know if Mesa Grill does carry out?"</p>
<p>"As a matter of fact, I happen to know somebody down there...I'm sure I could put in a special request. I'll print out the menu in the morning, and we'll pick out a nice spread," she said with a grin.</p>
<p>"Oh really? I like the sound of that." Kate began kissing Alex's neck again.</p>
<p>Alex chuckled, "If you're planning to start that, maybe we should think about moving to the bed. The water's starting to get cold..."</p>
<p>Kate grinned as she shifted her leg and pulled the plug out of the tub's drain. "Way ahead of you, baby."</p>
<p>Alex stood and helped Kate up. She kissed her and then grabbed two towels. She wrapped Kate up first and then covered herself, drying off quickly so that they could continue things in their room.</p>
<p>Kate followed Alex into the bedroom and pulled Alex back against her. She began to nibble on her neck again as she quickly removed both their towels. She loved feeling Alex's skin against her because it always made her feel complete. "I love you so much, Alex," Kate whispered into the blonde's ear.</p>
<p>"I love you too. You've made me so happy tonight. I hope you know that," Alex said as she embraced her.</p>
<p>"I hope so. I love making you happy. I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you make me." Kate tightened her grip on her blonde lover, and she nuzzled her neck.</p>
<p>Alex pulled Kate back with her onto the bed and continued kissing her. It wasn't long before they lost themselves in the moment, and they made love, happily reaching climax together before falling into a sound and pleasant sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>